SUPERFIT youngsters are to represent the North in a national biathlon race.

The 13 pupils from Ian Ramsey CE Comprehensive School in Stockton won the right to represent the North of England at a biathlon race in Penrith, Cumbria, last November.

Now the swimmers and runners are in training for the national finals to be held in Macclesfield, Lancashire, next month.

Pupils at the school will take part in the national finals after the 15 to 16-year-old girls in the year 11 team won their heat along with the year ten boys, year nine girls and year eight boys and one boy from year seven who won an individual event.

All the children will run 1,000 metres in the finals and the younger pupils will then swim 50 metres while the older ones will swim 100 metres.

Teacher Wendy Cook was proud of the students. She said: "I'm fairly sure we're the only ones from the North-East who will be taking part in the final and they'll be representing the entire North of England so it is some achievement."