A NORTH-EAST girl is helping England qualify for the women's football European Championships.
Stephanie Houghton, 17, of Hetton-le-Hole, flew to Italy for qualifying matches after she was picked for the under-19s squad.
Stephanie, who is studying at Durham Sixth Form Centre, which does not have a girls' team, plays forward for Sunderland Football Club's Ladies' team 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, which won the FA Premiership North.
He said: "It is lovely that she is in the England squad.
"They are favourites to go through."
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