CHILDREN from five primary schools got a taste of the Olympic dream when they took part in a sports festival yesterday.

Tudhoe Grange School hosted a mini-Olympics tournament for 160 children ahead of a borough-wide contest on Friday.

To celebrate this summer's Olympic Games in Athens, the School Sports Co-ordinator programme encouraged pupils to take part in activities to boost their fitness, confidence and social skills.

Each school fielded a team of seven to 11-year-olds, representing nations from around the globe, to take part in events including speed shuttles, passing along a line, football dribbling and jumping contests.

Each team learned about the countries they adopted for the tournament and designed flags for an opening ceremony. They will also be flown on Friday.

The results were: 1 Ox Close Primary School (France); 2 St Charles RC Primary School (China); 3 North Park Primary School (Australia); 4 King Street Primary School (Ethiopia); 5 Tudhoe Colliery Primary School (Mexico).

Tudhoe Grange School teacher Roslyn McConnell, who helped to organise the event, said: "The pupils were a credit to their teachers. They have thoroughly enjoyed themselves while exercising, which is wonderful to see."

She said year 11 pupils, in particular Amy Hutchinson, Louise Holmes, Kelvin Morris and Chris Pennock, had done most of the organising, which had helped their own studies.