PERSHORE High School pupils have been enjoying sporting success.

Elise Blake, 14, qualified for the Army Cadet Force National Cross Country Championships and won individual bronze for the winning West Midlands team against runners from all over Great Britain.

At Altcar near Liverpool Blake was in a new age category for intermediate girls as the previous two years she was in the junior section.

She said: “It was a tough race and I was in fourth place.

"I could hear my name being cheered and I pushed on to finish in third place, gaining the bronze.

"My team-mate, who is also in the Hereford and Worcester division, won gold and together with our third team-mate, who finished seventh, we won gold for our team.

"Each year I have been part of the winning team and placed in the top three.”

Meanwhile, rower Kieran Bennett, 14, was crowned West Midlands champion as part of Tewkesbury-based AB Severn’s J15 coxed quad.

Bennett will represent the area at the Inter-Regional Regatta on April 22.

AB Severn head coach Brian Curtis said: “These boys won silver medals at the National Junior Championships last year and we expect them to do very well in top-level competition in the regatta season now starting.

"They vie only with a crew from Henley for top place. The commitment and time Kieran and his crew-mates dedicate is exemplary and is the perfect demonstration of what can be achieved with the right attitude."

Pershore's year 10 girls competed in a Worcestershire schools' badminton tournament.

Emma Brown, Cassidy Matheson, Emily Patterson, Heather Titterton and Alice Patterson had won the district competition in late January.

They beat Malvern St James but lost by just three games to Bromsgrove School.

A team spokesman said: "We were all extremely nervous and were excited to see the competition.

"The competition in our section was very high and overall we were second in our group.

"We were very pleased to have beaten Malvern St James and to give Bromsgrove a good game and are looking forward to attending county badminton again next year."