A DURHAM student has won an award at a speech, music and drama festival.

Sarah Jane Gargett, 16, from Durham Sixth Form Centre, won the intermediate speech and drama section at the Teesdale Festival Speech and Drama Championships.

Young people gathered at Teesdale Comprehensive School in Barnard Castle on Saturday to compete for trophies in a range of performing arts.

Sarah, from Nevilles Cross, has studied speech and drama since she was five and it is the second time in three years she has been awarded the accolade.

She said: "The competition this year was especially tough and I had to perform to my very best to win. I am trying to decide what I should study after my A-Levels and this win has given me the confidence to consider acting as a possible career."