Ex-Warrington Wolves forward James Laithwaite opens Fuel Hub

The Wire academy graduate, who made 50 appearances for the club between 2013 and 2015, has opened Fuel Hub – an online service delivering healthy ready meals to customers’ doors.

Based on Kingsland Grange in Woolston, business is already booming for the 27-year-old second rower and partner Michelle McDowall – who recently welcomed their second child into the world.

Laithwaite said: “People get healthy meals delivered straight to their house, and then they can just heat it and eat it.

“Obviously I’ve played rugby for many years, and I know how hard it easy to eat healthily when you’ve got a busy lifestyle.

“Being in the world of sport, I know the importance of eating well and how good it makes you feel.

“But eating healthy doesn’t have to taste boring – these meals really do taste great and the feedback we’ve been having has been amazing.

“This has been in the planning for 18 months and we only launched a few weeks ago, but it’s gone mad – we’re already providing Warrington Wolves with their meals for after training.

“I thought it might take a while for us to get our feet under the table, but it’s all happened a lot quicker than I thought.”

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James and Michelle first came up with the idea for Fuel Hub after he was forced to retire from rugby league due to injury troubles.

Laithwaite suffered a broken leg for the fourth time in his career in July last year while playing for Bradford Bulls.

A similar injury ended his time at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, with the ex-Penketh High School pupil never playing for Warrington again after fracturing his leg during a Challenge Cup clash with the Leigh Centurions in 2015.

But he has now come out of retirement again, and is back in the game with the Leythers.

James added: “I broke my leg when I was young and I did it again when I was on loan from Warrington at Swinton.

“Then I had a bad one playing for Warrington against Leigh in the Challenge Cup, and I was out for 18 months.

“I broke my neck whilst playing for Toronto, then I broke my leg again playing for Bradford.

“That’s when I decided to retire, and I had nine months where I didn’t play, and we focussed on getting this business set up.

“Once I got myself fit again, I decided I was fit enough to go back and play again and I signed for Leigh Centurions.

“If the business takes off we might look at getting a kitchen somewhere where we can serve from as well.

“We want to get into gyms, schools, hospitals and leisure centre as well – the possibilities are endless.”