The annual Hambleton and Richmondshire Area Secondary Schools Gymnastics Championships were held at the Northallerton Leisure Centre last week and once again boy and girl gymnasts from Bedale High School scooped many of the top trophies.

The Under-13 boys team won the area team competition for the tenth time with captain and last year's individual floor and vault winner, Timothy Burn, runner up to Matthew MacLean of the Allertonshire School.

The team also comprised Daniel Theaker (3rd), Joshua Beer (4th), Scott Heathfield (6th), Daniel Donaghy (7th), Adam Carrick (10th), Edward Glansford (11th) and Harry Bentley (12th).

In the Under-13s boys partner competition, Timothy Burn and Daniel Donaghy were the area champions.

The Under-13 girls team won the area team competition with captain and last year's champion, Francesca Clayton, again winning the individual floor and vault competition.

The team also comprised Lindsey Johnston (3rd), Lucy Sheppard (5th), Stephanie wilkinson (7th), Holly Dixon (14th), Abilgail McNeill (15th), Megan Dixon (17th) and Emily Ramsay (19th).

In a competition featuring five schools, Bedale B team finished third overall and that team consisted of Nikki Priestley (10th), Jessica Campbell (11th), Jessica Griffiths (12th), Sophie Walton (23rd), Frankie Quinn(28th), Leanne Shaw (31st) and Gemma Woodcock (33rd).

Bedale Primary School pupil, Allisia Kusz, who is also a member of the High School gymnastic club, finished third in open floor and vault competition and was joint winner of the Under-13 partner competition with Francesca but had to compete as a guest due to her age (nine years).

The Over-13 girls team finished a credible fourth overall with Y7 student Jenny Readman, who only competed to make the team numbers up, finishing as the highest scorer ahead of Lisa Bainbridge, Beverley Garbutt, Rebecca Robinson, Rebekah Taylor, Ashleigh Robinson and Abigail Beer.

The Over-13 boys team won the area team competition for the eighth time with captain Gary Clarke winning the individual floor and vault competition. The successful team also comprised Adam Goude (2nd), Adam Burton (3rd), Jason Clark (4th), Christopher Andrade (6th), Jamie Nelson (9th), Jarred Wilson (10th), Samuel Jakeman (12th), Robert Crosby (13th) and Thomas McLoughlan (14th).

In the Over-13 boys partner competition Gary Clarke made it a clean sweep winning with his fellow gymnast Jason Clark. Their paired routine to music featured back flips, somersaults and some breathtaking assisted high dive rolls which had the audience on the edge of their seats. Both boys along with Adam Burton have competed in the Area competition for all five of their years at Bedale High School.

Head of Physical Education, Mr Martyn Coombs said: "The success of Bedale High School gymnasts is down entirely to the amount of preparation the students put in.

"Many attend the gymnastics club run by Mrs Clayton and Mrs Burns as well as attending their lunchtime practices with Miss Thompson, Mr Tuplin and myself. The gymnasts have been fortunate to have benefited from grants totalling £15,000 over the last 18 months for new gymnastics equipment from Awards for All and the Foundation of Sport and the Arts.

"Plans are currently being drawn up to extend the gymnasium storeroom to accommodate the new equipment which causes particular problems in the gymnasium."