A TEAM of teenagers will represent the region in the country’s toughest debating competition.

Hermitage Academy, from Chester-le-Street, are taking part in the national final of the Debating Matters competition, held in the impressive surroundings of the British Library starting on June 26.

The team of sixth formers will compete over two days against 11 other schools debating tough subjects including online privacy in the digital age, whether western museums should repatriate cultural artefacts and compulsory voting the UK, subjects they have been researching for the last month.

If successful, they will progress to the final round on June 28 when they will discuss the motion: “We should permit the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport” with their arguments scrutinised by a team of expert judges.