Bristol Pitbulls owner Rich Hargreaves is hoping his side can act as a launch pad for the careers of young local players after adding three more signatures to his squad.

Jamie Chilcott, 18, from Whitchurch, Laurence Lawson, 18, from Churchill and Tom Egerton, 17, from Brislington have all made the jump from the junior ranks of the Bristol Bulldogs and signed for the new senior side, the Pitbulls.

The trio are sure to prove key to the Pitbulls first season on the ice, especially Lawson, the first goalkeeper to sign for the club.

"I've been watching Laurence for the last year or so now," said Hargreaves, who is also in negotiations with potential coaches to free himself from off-field duties and take to the ice in his new team.

"He's a great stand-up goalie with great reflexes.

"He stepped up into the Pitbulls' friendly back in December and surprised me a lot with how well he coped with the jump to the next level.

"I don't believe in wasting people's talents by making them sit and watch.

"With Laurence I get a great young goalie who can quite easily play week in, week out as my number one.

"Jamie, Laurence and Tom are part of the junior set up and this team in Bristol is really about them," added Hargreaves, who is helping spread word of his sport at Summerhill School's sports day in St George today.

"I never had that option when I hit 17 and was forced to move away to start my senior career."

All three new recruits are keen and ready to learn, according to their coach, and if they do, greater honours could beckon.

"All three are exciting young players and destined to be stars for the future," said Hargreaves. "This is the start of their professional careers here in Bristol and I'm happy to be able to offer that to them.

"The Pitbulls are a stepping stone into a bigger hockey world for these three, and to have players that could one day move on from Bristol and ply their trade in a higher league or represent our country will be a fantastic achievement for them and our organisation."