FOUR sport fans from around the world are in lockdown in Malton after travelling to the UK to play rugby.

Jack Hobbs, 26, and Bailey Lamb, 21, who are both from Australia, CJ, 26, from New Zealand, and JP Giorgi Cabral, from São Paulo, Brazil, 26, were all travelling around the world and had come to Ryedale to play rugby for Malton & Norton RUFC.

JP said he had come to Malton after meeting Sam Stephenson, the brother of Rob, who died in March 2016, after being involved in a road collision in York.

Rob’s parents Patrick and Nicki, along with Sam, set up the Rob Stephenson Trust to help young people participate in sport.

JP said: “I have a degree as environmental management and after working in the area of foresting and growing forests for companies, I got an invite from Sam Stephenson to come here to Malton to play a bit of rugby as well during my Euro trip.

“I met the Stephensons back in 2016 at the Rio Olympic Games where we watched all the rugby games together. As my rugby team back home have a nice programme for unfortunate kids, they kindly started to donate some excellent gear for the club.”

JP said with no way of getting home, the four rugby players had decided to weather the storm together.

“None of us are from England but we have the rugby as a common thing,” he said.

“It brought us to England and to this house. It reminds me of living in a fraternity house, when I was at university back home in Brazil. We call them Frat houses.

“All of us are a bit gutted because the rugby season was over earlier, but as we are friends, being in lockdown it’s better with good company than alone.”

JP said they were doing what they could to keep fit.

“To spend the time we try to workout at least once a day,” he said.

“The Workhouse Gym in Malton loaned us some equipment, so we set up our garage as a gym.

“We have also made a schedule for everyday with one of taking responsibility for cooking dinner.”

JP added: “As I cannot go back to Brazil at the moment and I cannot keep on travelling, so I’m happy that I’m staying in a nice town, near by nature and spending the time with friends.”

He added: “I hope everyone keeps safe, especially those who are in places with less infrastructure to deal with this historic event that we are passing through.”