A GYMNASTICS team is celebrating after winning second place at their first national competition.

Gymnasts from Dodderhill School, in Droitwich, competed last week at the 14th national Independent Schools Association Gymnastics Championships.

It was hosted by Adcote School in Shropshire and saw 17 schools from around the country enter into the U11 age category.

The best individual performance was from the youngest member of Dodderhill's team, Matilda Haughton, who is now ranked third in the country for ISA U11 Gymnastics at just ten years old.

A spokesman for the school said: "To come second in the first ever national level competition shows just what talented gymnasts we have at the school, I am really proud of their hard work in training."

The girls competed as a team of six, and the competition saw them perform four different elements, including a floor routine to music and vault.

Their results secured them second place behind the very experienced host school, Adcote.

Cate Mawston, headteacher, said: "Our talented pupils have achieved great things this year and this level of recognition proof that whilst we are a small school, we can compete against much larger independent schools on an equal footing."

Team members included Eimear Tracey, Ella Kenward, Tegan Powell, Natasha Schoch, Millie Titterton and Matilda Haughton.