Adrian Morley and Lee Briers take Challenge Cup to funeral

And not for the first time, they were carrying the beautiful Rugby League Challenge Cup.

They had lifted the coveted prize together at Wembley Stadium in 2009 when it seemed half of Warrington was there to watch them overcome Huddersfield Giants.

Then, for the first time in the club's history, back-to-back cup final triumphs were secured when The Wire defeated Leeds Rhinos in record-breaking fashion in 2010 with skipper Morley and Lance Todd Trophy winning half-back Briers to the fore again.

But seeing them with the sport's most prestigious silverware this time was very, very different - though no less tear jerking.

When those crematorium doors opened and the Wire legends were stood proud and tall with their prized possession, some people in this altogether seemingly unassociated assembled audience had no idea what was happening.

This was the funeral of Edna Waller in May, 2011.

Edna had been going to Warrington matches since the 1940s, but on this occasion The Wire had come to see her - to say goodbye in the best way they could.

"Ma died on May 8, 2011," said her son Mike, 67, from Appleton.

"It had been a brilliant sunny day! We'd been to see Warrington beat Keighley in the cup 80-0. She was 84 years old and Lee Briers had missed two conversions or it would have been 84-0!"

Edna Waller, left, her son Mike, sister Sybil and husband Cecil attending a Wire match pre-2007.

Mike, his mother and his aunty Sybil, returned home and were having a cuppa together.

"Later on she said 'let's watch the cup tie' that had been on tv in the afternoon. I'll set it up," continued Mike.

"She paid a visit to the loo, came downstairs, walked into the front room, collapsed and died in hospital about an hour later from a bleed to the brain!"

Mike, a lifelong Wire fan himself, wanted to send off his ma in style and this is where the club's then chief executive, Andy Gatcliffe, comes into the story.

"Doing something special was going to be a challenge" said Mike.

"I knew Andy Gatcliffe via a mutual engineering friend and after a brainwave went to see him.

"We (Warrington Wolves) had the Challenge Cup in our possession and so I asked would it be possible if Adrian and Lee would bring it to the crematorium for her last journey.

"Leave it with me Andy said!"

Mike didn't tell anyone about the idea he had or the conversation with the club's CEO, apart from John Clowes who was doing the eulogy and the funeral directors.

"I found out that Adrian may not be available and that Lee wouldn't take it to the front as it hadn't been long since he'd lost his brother," said Mike.

But the day finally came to say goodbye to Edna.

Mike said: "What happened was something out of a film!

"The crematorium doors closed after everyone was inside and John waited for his cue!

"Then the doors opened again and Lee Briers and Adrian Morley brought the cup into the crematorium, handed it to one of the funeral directors who took it to the front where her coffin was.

"There wasn't a dry eye in there! She'd have been delighted – I can't thank the club and the players enough!"