THREE athletes from Middlesbrough and Billingham have been chosen to compete at a national event for the UK’s elite.

The 2016 School Games is a multi-sport event which takes place at Loughborough University and Sheffield this week.

Among those selected to compete are table tennis players Andrew Green, 17, and Sophie Barlow, 15, both from Billingham and both pupils at Northfield School and Sports College.

Steven Wheater, 15, from Middlesbrough, who goes to the Kings Academy in Coulby Newham, will also represent the North-East region in the high jump event.

About 1,600 athletes will compete across 12 sports at the event, seven of which include disability disciplines. The four-day event is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.

The young athletes will be following in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars who have competed at the event before going on to senior international success.

Previous competitors include Olympic gold medallist and world-record breaking swimmer Adam Peaty and Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds.