YOUNG athletes from Bromsgrove and Redditch more than held their own at the New Balance English Schools’ Athletics Association (ESAA) Track and Field Championships.

A 35-strong team from Hereford and Worcestershire Schools travelled to Gateshead at the weekend to compete.

Pupils who had made it through school, district, county and inter county championships then had to wait for the decision from the regional selectors to see if they made the team for the national event, which brings together the best young athletes in England.

In the relays the intermediate and senior boys teams reached the finals.

St Augustine's Catholic High School's Josh Pearson and Harry Liversidge from Bromsgrove School joined forces with Oliver Gould and Dan Banks raced to sixth place in the intermediate category.

There was fourth place for senior boys quartet of Ollie Biddle (Worcester Sixth Form College), Jack Hocking (Worcester Sixth Form College), Tom Kenwright (Pershore High School) and Cody Cooke (Hereford and Ludlow College).

The county also returned with two medals, with Danielle Hopkins of The Chase School in Malvern, won silver in the junior girls high jump with a personal best of of 1.72 metre, while there was also bronze for Hereford Sixth Form's Isobel Parry-Jones, who ran the 800m in 2m13.5s.

Bewdley School pupil placed seventh in senior girls 3000m finishing in 9.59.15, while William Richardson (Baxter College) finished ninth in the senior boys 3000m.

In the various age group team competitions, the senior boys were the highest ranked Hereford and Worcester team, finishing seventh out of the 14 counties in their group, while the the senior girls and the junior girls teams finished in ninth position.