A YOUNG bridge player proved himself a match for more experienced hands at a national tournament.

Teenager Christopher Owen narrowly missed the winning spot when he competed in the Under-25 Bridge Championship in London at Easter.

The 17-year-old, from Darlington, should have been playing in the under-19 category, but he had to move up a level because his playing partner, Steve Raine, from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, had just celebrated his 19th birthday.

Christopher's father Clive, who is also a bridge player, said the pair had done incredibly well against some of the country's top performers.

He said: "They were the youngest pair in the competition so to come second was an extremely good result. Christopher has only been playing for a couple of years and hasn't played in many competitions at all."

The Yarm School A-Level student has been practising his game at Darlington's St George's Bridge Centre.