FOOTBALL teams in County Durham are celebrating after winning a tournament.

Greencroft Comprehensive School, in Stanley, and Spennymoor School are the newly-crowned County Durham champions following victory in the under-13 finals of The Minute Maid Schools' Cup.

Spennymoor School boys' side lifted the cup after a 1-0 victory at Hebburn Comprehensive School, while Carmel Technology College girls' team, in Darlington, were defeated 3-0 by the Greencroft team in their final.

As well as the prestige of becoming county champions, both schools have now advanced to the Minute Maid Northern Schools' Cup, one of four regional cup tournaments contested by county champion schools across England.

The regional tournament will feature the best 16 school teams in the North.

They will contest a knockout competition to become regional champions with the hope of qualifying for the national semi-finals and ultimately the national finals. These matches are to be played at professional football stadiums.

Middlesbrough and England winger Stewart Downing praised the tournament, saying: "When I was first playing football at school, matches against the best teams in the area helped me to work on my skills and develop as a player. These teams now have this chance.

"The Minute Maid Schools' Cup is just the sort of competition that helps youngsters develop their own skills and qualities on the football pitch."