Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman was impressed with the sporting activities on offer to students as she was taken on a tour of a school's £1.6m sports hall.

Ms Goodman visited Bishop Barrington School in Bishop Auckland, and watched pupils taking part in sporting activities including trampolining.

Year ten student Natasha Davies also led a group of girls in practising relaxation techniques following an aerobics lesson.

Ms Goodman confessed that PE was one of her least favourite lessons at school, but said: "This is a fantastic sports hall."

She was shown round the sports hall by Warren Dutton, director of sport, and Ray Smith, chairman of the governors of the school.

She also heard how the school was forging links with local leisure centres and sports clubs, with one of the main aims being to encourage students to continue taking part in exercise and sporting activities when they leave school at 16.

Ms Goodman took time out to visit the science department. The MP is backing a competition for young people, aged ten to 18, to find the North-East's climate change champions and help spread the word about climate change.

The initiative is designed to raise awareness and change attitudes to climate change. Ms Goodman has written to all the secondary schools in her constituency, including Bishop Barrington, to encourage them to take part.