A pool star is celebrating after successfully negotiating a gruelling schedule to pocket international honours.

Anne-Louise Eaton's skills around the table have led to a future with the England squad having succeeded in tough trials at Great Yarmouth a week ago.

The 26-year-old Teessider is excitedly looking towards making an appearance for her country against Wales and Scotland later this year, before possible appearances in the World and European Championships.

Anne-Louise's call-up has been just reward for over a decade of hard work since winning her first competition in the sport at the age of 12.

At that time she surprised many by edging past a number of boys of similar age while on a family holiday at the Lake District.

That trend does not seem to have changed too much after a season of success in both the Stockton Walkabout League and the Middlesbrough and District League for the Queen Victoria, as captain, and Red Lion sides respectively.

And, despite the ladies on the local circuit being massively outnumbered by men, Anne-Louise has now managed to forge a growing reputation for herself on the county scene for Cleveland.

"When I went to Sheffield University to study I had to stop playing really but I restarted again about five years ago," she said. "It was then that I began to take things more seriously.

"To get into the England squad is fantastic for me and it was very exciting on the Friday night when I had claimed my place. Now I just can't wait to play for them."

Anne-Louise's success at Great Yarmouth last week did not come without cost as she had to defeat a close friend in the play-offs to dent her own international ambitions.

The NTL co-ordinator had earlier had to progress through two competitive rounds - the first a game where they were not allowed to lose three games and the second a last 15 round robin - before playing in the eight-players play-off.

And it was there that she met county teammate Marie Waite from Thornaby.

Anne-Louise took the honours and said it had an effect on celebrations, she said: "I was actually sharing a caravan with her so I felt a bit awful.

"I would have loved not to have played her in the play-offs because then we both could have been playing for England together. That would have been great. It really was difficult because I'm really good friends with her."

In the Monday night Middlesbrough and District League, Anne-Louise claimed the ladies singles award after winning an outstanding 83 per cent of her matches for the Red Lion.

Anne-Louise also finished as the top lady in the region and is ranked sixth nationally, where around 700 players are registered.

The top eight were automatically put through to the England trials at Great Yarmouth.