CHILDREN from four North-East schools were up in court this weekend - taking part in a mock trial to learn more about the legal system.

Year eight and nine pupils from Coulby Newham School, Middlesbrough, Branksome School, Darlington, and Stokesley School and Bedale High School, in North Yorkshire, spent Saturday morning at Teesside Magistrates' Court for the local heat of a national competition.

The schools each submitted a team of 13 students, who took on the roles of lawyers, court staff, witnesses, court reporter, magistrates and defendants during two mock trials involving criminal damage and drug possession.

Their performance in court was judged by a team of experienced magistrates, solicitors and court clerks, and the winning school will go on to a regional final in York in April.

"The judges look for qualities such as the ability of pupils to think on their feet, spontaneity, confident and clear presentation and concise descriptions of cases," said a spokesman for the Citizenship Foundation, which organises the competition.

"The competition is an excellent way of introducing young people to the criminal justice system in an interesting way," he said