A DURHAM schoolgirl is helping England to qualify for the women's football European Championships.
Stephanie Houghton, who is studying at Durham Sixth Form Centre, which doesn't have a girls team, flew out to Italy for qualifying matches after being picked for the under-19 squad.
The seventeen-year-old, of Hetton-le-Hole, is a forward who plays for Sunderland AFC Ladies and has represented English schools at under-16 level.
The sixth form centre's head of student recruitment, Norman Ferguson, who manages the school's boys side, said Stephanie had been called up because of her performances for Sunderland, who won the FA Premiership North.
"It is lovely that she is in the England squad. They are favourites to go through," he added.
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