A DARWEN Primary School is celebrating after picking up a top sporting honour.

Holy Trinity School, Bank Top, Darwen, scooped the North West Sports Award from the National Playing Field Association after they were judged to be best for sports.

To win the award, the school had to produce information showing the sporting successes at the school, which includes several former pupils playing at international level, as well as talking about how they help pupils with special needs.

A team of seven youngsters, accompanied by deputy headteacher Mike Leighton, made a presentation to judges which included a demonstration of cricket and gymnastics and verbal presentations about their sporting achievements.

Mr Leighton said: "We were able to show how sport has played an important role throughout the school's history and how we made sport attractive to those with special needs. We have several pupils who suffer from asthma, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, so this award really is an honour."

Rob Jarvis, head of corporate community affairs at BNFL and a member of the judging panel explained why Holy Trinity pipped three other schools to the post. He said:

"We felt that Holy Trinity just took the edge because of the high level of participation in sport throughout the school.This has helped to raise sporting excellence within the school and has encouraged a number of high achievers, some of which have gone on to national success."

The school was presented with an engraved silver trophy, a framed certificate and a cheque for £350 which will be spent on sports development.

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