Leeds Rhinos legends Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield unveil cover of heart-warming new children's book

Inspired by the famous friendship shared by the Leeds Rhinos legends, the tale will shine a light on the importance of having good mates - and looks set to become a firm favourite for young readers across the country.

In this first look at the cover illustration of 'With You Every Step: A Celebration of Friendship', two playful characters sport cheeky grins and embrace as they head into the distance.

The characters, designed by illustrator Gill Smith, bear a charming resemblance to Rob and Kevin, whose bond has touched countless people over the years.

Rob was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2019. Since then, he has been raising awareness and huge amounts of cash for charity with his wife Lindsey and former teammate Kevin.

The inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon earlier this year raised £4m, much of which went towards the building of a state-of-the-art MND centre in the city. In a now famous moment at the end of the race, thousands of people were moved to see Rob being carried over the finish line by best friend Kevin.

Their book is set to be published by Pan Macmillan on November 9, with 50p from every copy sold to be split between the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity.

The book will cost £10 and is set to include artworks by a collection of award-winning illustrators. It can be pre-ordered on the Pan Macmillan website.

Discussing their cover that was unveiled for the first time today (September 6), Rob and Kevin said: "We are delighted with the cover for ‘With You Every Step’. Gill Smith has captured the essence of the book perfectly with her beautiful image of friendship and we are really pleased to see it out in the world."

Illustrator Gill Smith said: "I am thrilled to have contributed towards this special book which brings Rob and Kev's friendship to life. Like millions of others, I am so inspired by their endeavours to raise money and awareness of MND. They're both remarkable, true champions in every way."

Rob has previously said that he used to love reading bedtime stories to kids Macy, Maya and Jackson.

He added: "True friends like Kevin are always there, even when times are tough."