Youngster Kate Nixon came away with a silver medal in the Yorkshire One Star Table Tennis Championships at Richmond Hill in Leeds.

Nixon, of Ilkley Grammar School, was competing in only her third tournament since taking up the sport and claimed the runner-up spot courtesy of winning the most games of the three girls that were tied for second place.

Her father Chris is delighted with the progress his daughter has made.

He said: “She’s been playing for about a year and a half.

"I used to play myself so we have a table at home, and she’s been going to regional development coaching sessions for the last four to five months.”

Nixon added that Kate will soon be going to the Oakbank Table Tennis Club to be coached by Hans Soova after he stepped in himself during the tournament.

“Hans actually used to coach me but he couldn’t be there last weekend so I was giving advice during the breaks.

"There was an irate father and a teary-eyed daughter on the sidelines as I was shouting at Kate to concentrate, but there were other matches going on around us so she wasn’t paying much attention!

“She’ll be having three or four sessions a week there as she’s 11 now and she needs to have some time on the table to work on her technique.”

Nixon believes Kate can go further in the sport too, after losing narrowly in the final to Imogen Barber, who finished runner-up in the under-11s category at the National Championships earlier this year - an event he hopes Kate will be at next year.

He said: “There’s no reason why she can’t progress. She’ll be playing a tournament every month or so, and hopefully the nationals in May as well. She’d like to play for her county, and England if possible.”