ENGLAND call-ups for three netballers at Moorland High School were the icing on the cake of a fantastic season.

The year-ten netballers have just been crowned U15 Lancashire schools champions after remaining unbeaten since September.

The team, who all play for Darwen Netball Club, beat off eight other schools in the Blackburn schools tournament and seven schools in the Lancashire tournament, including local rivals Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, who are the current national champions.

Sarah Lloyd, 15, Carla Rawling, 14, and Rachael Fairhurst, 14, were all selected to play for the England development squad.

Team-mates Sarah and Carla also manage to take time out to juggle their school work with places in the Lancashire county netball team.

Most of the youngsters have played together since they first took up the sport at Holy Trinity CE School more than five years ago. And their ball skills have proved so impressive that the Darwen club team coach even takes time out to train them at school.

Erika Rogerson, head of PE at the school, said: "The girls have always been a strong team since they left junior school. They've always played together.

"They used to fear some teams but nobody can touch them anymore. They are amazing. Now we are working to towards becoming national champions."