Four North-East gymnasts created history at the weekend when they retained their national title - a year after becoming the first team from the region to bring home the championship.

Amy Fossheim, Hala Alali, Haley Robson and Rebecca Richardson made up the North team who beat 11 other regions at the final in Guildford to take the ten-year-old age group gold medal.

And their day was completed when Amy (pictured right) won the individual championship - also for the second successive year.

Nicola Preston, a coach at South Durham Gymnastics Club - which is where Amy, Hala and Haley train - emphasised the team's achievement, describing how the team had to wait until the final rounds were over until they could celebrate.

"We had a lot of pressure on us to do it again, she said. "The standard at that level was just so high.

"We were drawn in the second round so we were watching the ones after us. Obviously we knew what points we had so we were watching to see if anyone would beat it, we were biting our fingernails."

Amy took most of the glory as she totalled the highest scores ever achieved in her age group and even scored higher marks than the age group immediately above her.

"She was just fantastic," said Nicola.

"She went out to win and she was determined not to make a mistake.

"You aren't sure just how good she is but then you get down there and see the rest of the competition and it makes you realise how much better than the rest she is."

But there was also praise for Amy's teammates.

"Rebecca Richardson had her best competition for a while.

"Haley Robson had a stormer on three pieces but one little mistake cost her a bronze medal.

"Hala has all the potential, she just needs to keep working hard and hopefully she will be back to try again next year."

Haley finished eighth, Rebecca, who is a member of North Tyne gymnastics club was tenth while Hala finished in 26th.

"They have to have the confidence, the maturity and the will to win and without that they won't win. That's why Amy is doing so well because she has all that."

Also representing the North were the nine-years old team of Lauren Drinkeld, Katy Usher, Jasmine Spiris and Victoria Wilson who finished fifth while Melissa Carr, Kirsty Duncan, Rebecca Slater and Leonni Jennison making up the 11-years-old team were sixth. Leonni was 12th overall after a fall on the beam but in the combined overall finished seventh in the country