AN east Durham school football team has reached the national finals of a competition.

Easington Colliery Primary School team won both county and regional rounds to secure a place in the English Schools National finals in Lancashire in the new year.

Now the young footballers are busy training to represent County Durham in the finals.

A spokesman at the school said: "It has been a great team effort and the boys have worked extremely hard.

"Thanks must also go to the parents who we rely on to get the boys to the games."

With the team facing such an important game there is only one cloud on the horizon.

The players have had such a busy season that their football strips are more than the worse for wear.

And this week the school appealed to anyone who can provide them with a new strip to wear in the national finals to contact teacher Peter Iveson at the school on 0191- 527 0293.