At the inaugural Durham County Primary Schools Table Tennis Festival, Darlington's St Teresa's became the first winners of the Sportsmatch Trophy.

During the past six months, eight teams had qualified for last Saturday's finals, from regional events held throughout County Durham.

The event is unique in that children don't necessarily need to know the full rules of the sport.

The six round format of fun-based mini skill tests has proved hugely popular.

Heathfield were the early leaders, winning the team relay game, but St Teresa's and Durham St Godric's closed the gap by winning the next two target games.

The two Darlington schools flopped in the next game, which was a version of cricket played on a table tennis table.

St Godric's took the overall lead with a second placed effort behind Bishop Auckland St Wilfrids.

The final two games in which the boys and then girls played shots and ran round the table, gave teams the chance for big points. Heathfield had a slender two-point lead over St Teresa's but the girls dominated the final game to clinch the County title.

The event was supported by the government Sportsmatch scheme in response to the Darlington club's sponsorship by Jarvis Sports. The scheme's group manager Robin Hodkinson made the long trip north to present the trophies and was amazed at format.

"This is exactly what the government hopes to achieve through Sportsmatch. I have never seen so many smiling faces in one event," he said in his speech to the children and teachers.

St Teresa's lifted the huge Sportsmatch trophy with Heathfield taking second placed and St Wilfird just pipping St Godric's for the third place position.

Results: 1st St Teresa's 53 points, 2nd Heathfield 40 points, 3rd St Wilfrid's 29 points, 4th St Godric's 26 points, 5th East Stanley 23 points, 6th Frosterley 22 points, 7th Cockton Hill 21 points, 8th Tow Law Millennium 13 points.