Image issues have secured public speaking teams from South Craven School, Cross Hills, a place in the regional finals of a competition.

Year 9 pupils Niamh Fearnley, Megan Hickman-Gray and Rosie Whiteoak debated body language and the pressure on both men and women to achieve the perfect figure.

Their fellow pupils, Hannah Goldblum, Emily Cramby and Elliot Whitehead, from Years 7 and 8, chose as their subject “style over substance”, looking at the pressure on young people to conform.

They both won through the first round of the contest, organised by Skipton Rotary, and Emily scooped an additional award of best speaker.

Both teams were again successful in York, at the first of the regional final, and are now off to Castleford for the second stage.