A YOUNG boxer recently selected for the English national squad has been belatedly named Darlington Young Sportswinner for 2000.

Martin Stead, 17, scooped the award, sponsored by the Orange telecommunications company, at a rearranged ceremony, after a successful year in the ring.

As well as gaining international honours, Martin scooped the Amateur Boxing Association's youth title during the 12 months up to his winning the monthly Young Sportswinner's title in September 2000.

A ceremony was held at the Orange company's offices in Darlington on Tuesday night, having been postponed in December due to a power failure.

Guest of honour was nine-time Paralympic gold medalist and four-time London Marathon women's winner, Tanni Grey-Thompson.

She told the audience: "If we want to keep doing well in the Olympic movement, then we need the young people to keep coming through."

Martin, a full-time student at the International Boxing Academy in Durham, who fights in the 48kg category, said he was "chuffed" about his latest victory.

Others in the running for the title were monthly award winners tae kwondo champion Paul Horsley, gymnast Christina Fossheim, archer Christopher White and cross country runner Ruth Brown.

Martin, from Darlington, said he was hoping to add to his growing list of achievements before possibly turning professional, saying: "I want to try to win a few more titles."

There was double success for the Darlington Table Tennis Club's junior section, which scooped the first AMEC Team of the Year award.

Their coach, Keith Wilson, was also the inaugural winner of the Service to Sport award, sponsored by Darlington Borough Council.

Mr Wilson said that since the juniors had won the award in June, all the team members had played for England.

He said: "It's going to be a big incentive for them to work harder. I am delighted. It gives them something to show our senior players, because they usually get all the publicity."

Jackson Sweeting was also celebrating success after he took home the first Master Skills Sporting Academy Coach of the Year award for his work coaching volleyball.

Mr Sweeting coaches volleyball at Haughton School, Darlington, as well as holding numerous other posts.

He said: "It's a great honour and I couldn't do it without the support of everybody else at the club. I actually get most pleasure out of seeing kids play well."