THREE gymnasts from Durham have been selected for the Great Britain squad for the European Tumbling Championships that take place in Valladolid, in Spain, at the end of this month.

Rachel Davies, who is from Langley Park, Durham, has been selected for the senior British team in her second year as a senior competitor.

The 17-year-old, who is a former winner at The Northern Echo’s Local Heroes Awards, was a silver medallist at last year’s World Championships, and will be hoping to enjoy more success at the Europeans, which begin on March 28 and end on April 3.

Georgia Clayton, from Spennymoor, was a silver medallist as a junior competitor in last year's World Championships, and has been named as reserve for the senior team in her first competition as a senior competitor.

The 18-year-old only entered the senior ranks at the start of this season, and will travel to Spain as a potential replacement for the first-choice squad.

Shanice Davidson, from Washington, a silver medallist as a junior competitor in last year's World Championships, has once again been named in the British junior team. The 15-year-old should have a good chance of adding to her medal haul.

Rachel and Shanice will compete against senior and junior competitors from Denmark, Russia, Portugal, France, Ukraine, Armenia, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Belarus and Azerbaijan as they attempt to win medals and a place on the podium for Great Britain.

Deerness Gymnastics Academy head of tumbling, Glen Wharton, has also been selected as one of the coaches for the Great Britain squad.

Wharton said: “Tumbling is going from strength to strength at both this club and at national level, resulting in a lot of competition for places on the national squads. Just to be selected is a great achievement but we are training hard and focused on performing at our best in Spain and hopefully that will bring the club and country success.

"Tumbling is not a high-profile sport, but we have hundreds of children and young people participating in acrobatics and tumbling at all levels at Deerness Gymnastics Academy every week and not only will they be showing their support  but will also be inspired by these gymnasts.”

The European Tumbling Championships run alongside the European Trampolining Championships, which will see West Rainton’s Kat Driscoll attempt to add to her senior medal haul.

Kat, who is the British number one, recently claimed a bronze medal at a World Cup event in Azerbaijan, and is set to compete in her second Olympic Games in Rio this summer.