A TEENAGE basketball squad are the toast of their school after reaching the semi-finals of a national competition.

The trouble with Wolsingham School and Community College's young giants is that they can't stop growing and needed a brand new kit for their match against Whycliffe College, Bristol, in the English School's B competition.

The squad Jonathan Hirst, Ross Edward, Alan Scott, Chris Stappard, Michael Hall, Ben White, Martyn Hirst, Iain Bell, Alex Sung, Lee Tinkler, Jack Maughan and Michael Scown are travelling down to Bristol on Tuesday.

Coached by Ian Hirst, they reached the semi-finals with wins against Gosforth High School, in the North-East region, Christleton High School, Chester, from the North West and Lady Lumley's School Pickering, from Yorkshire and Humberside.

Four of the players, Martyn Hirst, Iain Bell, Lee Tinkler and Alex Sung, are also members of the Year 11 basketball team who are champions of the Bishop Auckland Schools Basketball League.

Headteacher Mitch O'Reilly said: "They have done brilliantly well. We are very proud of them.

"They will have to stop growing. Most of them are well over six feet tall and have outgrown all their strips so we have bought them a new black and gold kit out of school funds."