YOUNG athletes at Carmel RC Technology School have been acclaimed after excelling on the track and breaking 70 school records in two months.

A sports award evening is planned for Tuesday, where guest of honour will be Jill Bolts, a double Olympian and silver medallist in the Commonwealth Games 10,000m.

The young athletes achievements include winning 17 trophies out of a possible 20 in the Darlington Schools' Athletic Championships, at the Eastbourne Sports Complex.

Also this month, Stephanie Weddell broke the school record in hurdles and high jump in the county under-14s and under-15s pentathlons.

Ryan Tinkler was selected for the national championships after his performance in the Inter-County Championships at Gateshead.

Head of PE Eve Hannaford said: "It was a team performance, with all the Carmel athletes playing their part. They were all a credit to the school."

In June, athletes only just missed out on a place in the finals of the National School's Athletic Cup, after becoming the first Darlington school to reach the regional finals, held in Jarrow.

Coach Simon Hannaford said: "Each year we compete at a higher level and always seem to get better."