RUGBY LEAGUE world champion Wigan Warriors have created a “safe haven for players, staff, fans and the wider public” at their Robin Park Arena to combat suicide, the club said today.

Wigan icon Terry Newton took his own life in 2010 and a community garden has been created at the club’s training ground to commemorate the player.

Wigan chief executive Kris Radlinski, who was a close friend of Newton, said the town, which is about 25 miles from Manchester in the north of England, has among the highest rates of suicide in the country.

“As a cornerstone of our community, we had both the responsibility and the duty to act,” he said. “Terry Newton was more than a player, he was the heart of our community, a teammate, a friend and an inspiration. We will use his legacy to drive us to confront this issue head-on.”

The garden was opened today to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day.

It features a Wall of Hope, which has messages from players, with fans and members of the public encouraged to add their own this month.

“This initiative is about raising awareness, supporting one another and ensuring no-one feels alone,” Radlinski said. “It is also our way of honoring Tez — giving his family, friends, and former teammates the chance to remember the man who always had our backs and reminding ourselves to look out for each other in the same way.”