YORK Wasps Rugby League Club today made their most audacious signing yet - former drugs tsar Keith Hellawell.

Mr Hellawell, the former Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, was named as the club's president.

He approached by Wasps director and close friend Rod Lowery to take up the post while the pair were on holiday with their families.

Mr Hellawell deferred any decision on whether to replace ex-president Denzil Webster due to his commitments as the UK Anti-drugs Co-ordinator.

But in a phone call to Mr Lowery late last night, Mr Hellawell - who will be the guest of RFL chairman Sir Rodney Walker at Saturday's Super League Grand Final - finally agreed to take up the position.

Mr Lowery confirmed: "Keith Hellawell is a very good friend of mine. When we knew Denzil Webster was going to resign as president, the board agreed I should approach Keith to see whether he would take over.

"He initially deferred the decision, but at last night he said he would love to come onboard as president."

The Wasps, who have battled against financial difficulties for the past two season, had promised big things following their sponsorship agreement with the New York Economic Council, but there will have been few people who believed this move was on the cards.

Mr Lowery, however, added: "He is a big fan of rugby league - a fanatic - and we knew he has got a lot of contacts in the game and at Rugby League Headquarters.

"We thought it would be a really big coup to get him on board."

York Wasps director Russell Greenfield said: "It is a big coup - Keith is a man of international recognition and rugby barmy!"

Updated: 14:39 Wednesday, October 10, 2001