A WIRRAL man was part of the team which helped kick off the Rugby World Cup in Cardiff's superb new 70,000-seat Millennium Stadium.

John Lorimer, pictured right, was a member of the 30-strong Royal Navy team who assembled a model dragon at the opening ceremony in Cardiff which was televised across the world to an audience of more than three billion people.

John, aged 25, left Rock Ferry High School in 1991 and joined the Navy seven years later. He is currently an Able Seaman serving on HMS Cardiff - but far from being a real rugby fan he is captain of the crew's football team.

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