Six girls from Sandal Primary School in Baildon have qualified for the British Sports Acrobatic finals in Stoke on Trent later this month.

They won a mixture of gold, silver and bronze medals in a pairs and team regional qualifier, including the team event itself, at Elland School.

Jessica Carrier, Catrina Clegg, Molly Darbyshire, Hannah Gargor, Bethany Harrison and Laura Stocks will be representing Yorkshire in the finals on the weekend of April 26-27.

Catrina is a Year Four pupil but all the other girls are Year Six.

Sandal Primary's assistant head Dot Mainwaring said: "We managed to beat the school that we have been runner-up to in recent years, and it is the first time that we have beaten them.

"There were balancing and tumbling exercises in the floor routines and it all came down to fractions of points.

"We are indebted to Saltaire Gym Club, who are part of Sandal's school-club links, and it benefits both us as a school and the gym club.

"Carol Drinkall and Julie Sheldon, from Saltaire Gym Club, coach the girls and, in addition, have started a session on Fridays from 8am-8.50am.

"About 20 pupils attend, including boys - last year we had a couple of boys in the team - and the coaches do a fantastic job. We also have an extra session on Tuesdays from 3.30pm-4.30pm."

Mainwaring, who is also the school's PE co-ordinator, added: "We want every child at our school to get in-volved in some sporting activity that they are good at and can succeed at.

"And that is why we have started school-club links with Shipley Juniors Football Club, Baildon Badminton Club, Fastbats Table Tennis Club, Ben Rhydding Hockey Club - there are other hockey clubs as well - Heaton Tennis Club, Bingley Harriers and the Vogue School of Dance."