TWO wheelchair fencers from the region are heading to the UK School Games this week as part of the England squad.

James Thomas, 17, and Josh Waddell, 14, are both members of Laszlo’s fencing club, based in Durham and make up half of the England wheelchair squad competing in Loughborough this week.

It will be the third time both James, from Shadforth, near Durham, and Josh, from Sunderland will have taken part in the event, which involved around 1,600 athletes across 12 sports.

Josh, a pupil at Venerable Bede Academy in Sunderland, has been fencing since he was seven and is aiming to win three gold medals at this week’s event.

He recently took part in his first ever international, where he got a bronze in the under-17s event.

James, who studies at New College, Durham, has previously won three bronzes.

The pair both train with Laszlo Jakab, who also coached two-time Paralympian Gemma Collis.