Barrow AFC have announced that midfielder Lewis Hardcastle’s loan from Blackburn Rovers has become a permanent transfer.

That means the Holker Street faithful will be seeing a lot more of the 20-year-old, who arrived at the Bluebirds on an initial one-month loan in early February and will now remain with the club until the end of next season.

Since then, Hardcastle has consistently impressed, giving AFC a dynamism in midfield they sometimes lacked previously, while also showing the sort of bravery in possession manager Ian Evatt wants to see from his players.

Hardcastle has made nine appearances for Barrow so far and scored his second goal for them in opening the scoring in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Harrogate Town.

He had previously opened his account with a sweetly-taken volley in the victory at Wrexham on March 12.

Hardcastle had been with Blackburn’s academy since he was aged six and captained their under-23 team to the Premier League 2 Division Two title last season.

He gained his first experience of first-team football in a loan spell at Salford City in 2015 and was at League Two side Port Vale before Christmas in this campaign, where he was limited to nine appearances, but he has found much more success in the National League.

He will play his first match as a full-time Bluebird against Boreham Wood at Holker Street on Saturday.