SOUTH DURHAM GYMNASTICS CLUB celebrated a series of successes at the recent British Espoir Championships, which were staged in Basildon.

Mia Scott, who is from Shildon, and Leah Greenland, who is from Spennymoor, both claimed individual silver medals, placing them among the leading gymnasts in the country in their age group, with Lydia Collins, from Bishop Auckland, also performing impressively in the all-around competition.

Leah, 12, finished in fourth position overall in the all-around final, with Mia, 13, finishing eighth and Lydia, 13, coming 23rd.

The all-around competition acted as the qualifying competition for the individual apparatus finals, with Mia making the final in the beam and bars, and Leah going through in beam and floor.

Mia claimed a silver medal in the British Championship bars final, with Leah matching her as she finished second to win silver on the beam before going on to pick up a bronze medal as she came third on the floor.

The medal-winning performances mean the pair, who both train at South Durham’s Spennymoor gym, have been selected on Britain’s 12-strong Junior European training squad, which is based at Lilleshall.

Two of the club’s younger gymnasts, 11-year-old Mercedes Moore and ten-year-old Josie Kowk, who are both from Darlington, have been accepted on to next year’s National Talent Development squad, and will also be training at Lilleshall.

South Durham joint head-coach Nicola Preston said: “The club has had an amazing year, and this once again proves and shows the strength and depth we have at South Durham.”