TWO men arrested during a money-laundering investigation at a major North Yorkshire sports organisation have been told by police the case against them has been dropped.

The two, who have not been named, were among four men arrested by officers probing a lottery funding application by Ryedale-based Rock-It-Ball, one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.

The investigation concerns the organisation’s bid to the National Lottery Award for All scheme.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said two of the arrested men had now been released with no further action to be taken against them, but said the other two were still under investigation.

None of the four has been identified but The Press reported in January last year that those arrested were a 57-year-old from Malton, a 50-year-old from York, a 67-year-old from Northallerton and a 52-year-old from Stockton-on-Tees, who had all been released on bail pending further inquiries.

The Rock-It-Ball Company, based at Marishes, near Malton, issued a statement then strongly refuting all allegations of any wrongdoing, and said it had complied fully with the police.

It said the sport of Rock-It-Ball had had an amazing effect in the community, giving opportunities and responsibility to young people all over the country, and this has always been the company’s aim.

A spokeswoman for Awards For All said then it was continuing to liaise with police in their ongoing investigation in relation to grants obtained from the Lottery Awards for All programme.

Rock-It-Ball has achieved worldwide success since being invented several years ago by three businessmen, Bob Aldridge, Dr Paul Hildreth and Paul Law.

The Youth Sports Trust programme has adopted the game, which has been introduced to more than 7,000 schools, colleges and universities throughout the UK and is now in 20 countries, has seven national governing bodies and an international Rock-It-Ball Federation.