YORK-BORN star Lucy Staniforth has returned to the England Women's squad ahead of next week's 2023 World Cup qualifiers.

Staniforth was missing from the England side which were beaten 2-0 in a friendly against Canada at Stoke's Bet365 Stadium back in April.

But the Manchester United attacking midfielder has come back into the England fold as manager Sarina Wiegman named her first squad since taking charge of the team in August.

England kick off their bid to qualify for the Women's World Cup in Australia against North Macedonia at St Mary's in Southampton on Friday, September 17 (7pm).

The game will be England's first in front of fans on home soil since November 2019 amid disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Staniforth and her team-mates will then travel to Luxembourg on Tuesday, September 21 (7.15pm).

Former Sunderland, Liverpool and Birmingham City star Staniforth, who was part of the England squad which reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2019, will be hoping to add to the 16 caps she has already won since debuting in 2018.

North Yorkshire pair Rachel Daly, from Harrogate, and Beth Mead, from Whitby, have also been called up to the national team set-up.

England Women's Squad: Mary Earps, Sandy McIver, Carly Telford, Millie Bright, Niamh Charles, Rachel Daly, Jessica Carter, Alex Greenwood, Steph Houghton, Esme Morgan, Demi Stokes, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Jill Scott, Lucy Staniforth, Georgia Stanway, Leah Williamson, Katie Zelem, Bethany England, Lauren Hemp, Fran Kirby, Beth Mead, Ebony Salmon, Ella Toone, Ellen White.