Super-fit St Mary's School under-11s have become the most successful football team in the school's history - and they say a new training regime has helped propel them to the top of the league.

The Barnard Castle primary school remained unbeaten in the Teesdale Mercury League and also won two cup competitions to secure three well-deserved trophies.

For the second season they finished the league season unbeaten and also tasted success in the Teesdale District five-a-side competition while they also finished winners in the Staindrop Schools five-a-side.

The 16-team Teesdale five-a-side had an international theme with each team representing one of the sides taking part in the European Championships in Portugal with St Mary's taking on the role of Italy.

But they weren't hindered by the tag - the real Italians were this week knocked out of the championships - as St Mary's had no such trouble, netting 14 goals and not conceding a goal on their way to winning the tournament.

After finishing top of the Teesdale Mercury League by eight points and scoring 32 goals, conceding just two, teacher Paul Tucker, who coaches the team, said the fitness work which made up one half of the team's training played it's part in the team's success.

"As well as football training we also do fitness on a Monday, he said.

"The kids do all sorts of different activities which sees them using ladders, hurdles and doing all sorts of things - it's an activity a lot of professional football teams use and now it's been brought into schools.

"It helps them run properly, makes them quicker on their feet and gives them more co-ordination.

"It's definitely improved them and I've seen them become fitter over the year."

This is the third consecutive year they've won the league and three of the squad have featured in all of the title wins: Daniel Tully, Josh Bousefield and Thomas Harrison who was top scorer this season with an impressive 23 goals.

The team's success has already brought Bousefield to the attention of Middlesbrough who have invited the ten-year-old midfielder to train with their youth section.

As well as their superior fitness levels, Tucker also paid tribute to the players' attitude, citing their great sportsmanship as a source of pride to the school.

"They never complain, they're a nice set of lads who play so well as a team," he said. "If they've been beaten in a knockout cup their heads don't go down; if they're fouled they just get on with it, they always make sure they cheer the other team at the end of the match and they never argue.

"That's something I've tried to instill. The school has that ethos and it's something than has been passed down on to the footballl team."

The full squad was: Edward Terry (goalkeeper), Daniel Tully, Josh Bousefield, Thomas Harrison, Anthony Harrison, Adam Robinson, James Burns, Callum Crisp, Thomas Johns, Taighe Connor-Watson, Miles Purchese and Gabriel Hogg.