GIRLS enjoyed a day-long county schools' football tournament yesterday.

More than 800 girls from schools across County Durham took part in the fifth annual event staged by the county council's PE and Sport Advisory Unit.

Up to ten matches were played at a time on seven-a-side pitches marked out at Durham University's Maiden Castle sports centre.

Teams from 58 primary schools took part in matches played on a round-robin basis during the morning, with 23 secondary schools involved yesterday afternoon.

Referees were supplied by Durham Football Association and East Durham and Houghall Community College.

Alan Duff, county council PE advisor, said the improvement in standards was noticeable year after year.

"This was our biggest entry yet and the girls just seem to get better and better.

"Female football is the fastest growing sport and it now rivals netball for popularity among girls in schools.

"It was good to watch just how enthusiastic they were and how competitive the games were, although all the games were played in a good spirit and there wasn't a yellow or red card to be seen all day."

Ouston School, Shotton Hall, Peterlee, St Patrick's, Consett, and Cockton Hill, Bishop Auckland, were the qualifiers in the primary level tournament.

They will return to Maiden Castle to compete in the finals in May.

Easington Community School took the honours in the secondary level tournament.

The runners-up were Dene Community School, Peterlee, with Durham Johnston third, Teesdale School fourth and MoorsideCommunity College, Consett, fifth.