Sixteen-year-old Carmel schoolgirl Claire Wilson has been chosen as England's Young Player Of The Year by the English Table Tennis Association's Honours Committee.

The highest accolade followed her selection for the England team for next months British Championships, to be played in Largs, Scotland.

Claire received her award at last weeks national Junior Championships in Kings Lynn.

Such is her determination to improve even further that Claire has found the time to combine her GCSE studies and continue training hard. The result has seen her make a rapid rise in the national ranking lists. Next season she will begin at No 8 in the junior list, but she has now overtaken Sunderland's Shirley Gelder and Lynne Herrington to become Durham County's top women player too. At only 16 she is a county regular in both junior and senior teams, and is the number one in Darlington's girls and women's national league teams. Her father Keith is head coach at Darlington Table Tennis Club where Claire is among a huge group of talented young players. He is delighted by her success and the national award, but stressed how other coaches have helped Claire.

"As a parent, I was tremendously proud to watch Claire receive her national award, but it is difficult to coach her in matches. Whilst I still set out her training programme, Robin Donnelly and Colin Meads have been more helpful in tournaments, and I know they are just as proud as am."

Carmel school were also delighted by Claire's success and have assisted in the costs required for her to play in Scotland next month.

Meanwhile, Darlington ended the season in style by clinching the Bromfield Trophy and Leach Cup at the National Team Finals in Liverpool.

Darlington's girls repeated their success of fast year and won the

Bromfield Trophy for the second time. They began with a 5-0 win over High Wycombe, followed that by defeating Leeds 5-1, and clinched the title with a 5-3 victory over Bradford. It was a gutsy performance by the three Darlington girls. For Claire Wilson, 16, it was a hat trick of celebrations. Leading up to the finals the Carmel schoolgirl had been selected to play for England in next months British Championships, and then been chosen as England's Young Player Of The Year, and she showed just why those accolades had come her way with a string of brilliant performances.

Along with Joanne Meads, 16, and Stephanie Donnelly, 15, Darlington were just too strong for High Wycombe and Leeds, but the Bradford match was on a knife edge throughout.

The final victory was a near carbon copy of every other match as Joanne Meads won a tense fifth set against Bradford No 2 Katie Lightowler. Darlington's boys had lost in the final of the Leach Cup fast year to Slough, but they had to overcome Hallam and then Chesterfield before meeting the favourites. It was a nervy start but Dadington came from 0-2 down to beat Hallam 5-3 and then defeated Chesterfield 5-2 to set up a repeat final with Slough. David Meads, 13, who joins Claire Wilson in the England team, was unstoppable. He was undefeated, claiming a hat trick of wins in all three matches. His three, including a revenge win over Slough No 1 David Hayes, added to one from Chris Close, 14, put Darlington 4-3 up. Mark

Simpson would not be denied against the much higher ranked James Milton. The Slough No 2 saved six match points to level the fifth and deciding set at 10-10 but Simpson was the stronger and clinched a 5-3 victory, and Darlington's second national team title.

The 2002/2003 season has been a roller coaster ride of success for Darlington's talented youngsters.

The Boys took the Junior British League First Division title with the girls runners up in their First Division. Amazingly the girls made up the club's women's teams and duly won the Women's British League Second Division, with the second side runners up and gaining promotion from the Third Division. Such was the performances of the boys that three juniors, David Meads, Andrew Leighton, and Kevin Wilson forced their way into the clubs Men's British League Premier Division side. Newcomers to team action were successful too when Stuart Osborne, 12, Simon Hahn, 13, Adam Hassan, 12, and Michael Hahn. nine, finished runners up in the North Division of the National Junior League, only losing out on sets difference to Sunderland.

Success came at county level too. The Durham Junior sides, completely made up of Darlington players, took the 2nd Division title, the Northern cadet Division title, and runners up slots in the Third Division and the National cadet play off finals. Even the local league found out how improved the juniors are with that team title going their way too, and David Meads becoming the youngest ever winner of the Darlington League Men's Singles title.

Head Coach Keith Wilson believes there is even more improvement to come. "These young players have improved out of sight this season but they train very hard and I'm certain more success will come next season. When Simon Hahn, and Stuart Osborne made their county debuts, it brought the number of county juniors produced by Darlington to a staggering 44 in the past seven years."

Wilson also praised the efforts of the club's team of coaches and parents but pointed out the lack of local sponsorship.

"Ian Robinson, Robin Donnelly, and Michael Marsden have given the juniors valuable coaching back-up, and a number of parents work tirelessly organising events and fund raising. It really does baffle me how this continued success, where Darlington children are putting the town on the national map, is ignored when we try to find such as shirt sponsors."

With a brand new team kit ordered for next season, now would be the ideal time for any local company to put their name alongside that of the national team champions.