YOUNG tennis players have come second in the national finals of a competition - despite their school's struggle to secure decent sports facilities.

Durham Johnston School, in Durham, is one of only a few state schools to reach the finals of the British Schools Tennis Competition held in Essex last month.

Sarah Harding, Mia Robinson, Ruth McKenzie, Katie Pears and Rachael Jackson, all year ten students, beat off competition from 3,000 teams in the country.

The under-15s team succeeded, despite the poor sports facilities at the school, which the school is campaigning to have replaced.

Applications for a new sports hall or a permanent tennis court were turned down as it is not in an area classed as deprived and so does not meet Government standards for funding.

In December's competition, the school team beat one of Britain's top schools, Coopers Company and Coburn School, in Essex, but were pipped to the post for the winning trophy by Millfield School, in Somerset.

PE teacher Julie Brown said: "They came second in Britain, so they did exceptionally well. There was no shame in being beaten by Millfield School, it's a boarding school with its own tennis academy."