MATTHEW Hurst from Thorpe Larches, near Sedgefield, was runner-up in the Wimbledon U19 tournament last weekend.

On his way to the final, the 17-year-old Durham County number one singles player disposed of the top seed, Yorkshire's Steven Day, 11-15 15-3 15-11 in the quarter-finals.

The Sedgefield College student also defeated Gareth Walters, the Welsh number one, Yorkshire's James Allanson and Steven Mumby of Lincs 15-9 15-1 in the semi-finals.

He was finally beaten by the host club's Toby Honey, seeded two, who won 15-9 15-9 in the final.

Hurst also reached the last four in the boys doubles with Carl Goode of Warwicks, but the top seeds James Boxall and Stewart Higgins won in three ends.

Meanwhile, Peter Higman from Eaglescliffe won both the mens and the mixed doubles over 40 titles in the first ever Northumberland Challenge last weekend in Stanley.

The international standard player had Stan Johnson from Hartlepool and Jackie Hirst from Middlesbrough as his respective partners.

Mark Dobinson and Tom Parfitt from Darlington and Stephanie Thompson from Newton Aycliffe are included in Durham's U14 squad of ten players for the opening event in the North Midway League this weekend in Herringthorpe.

Sally Almond from Stockton reached the girls singles semi-finals in the Durham County U19 open tournament in Gateshead last weekend, losing to Yorkshire's Donna Hudson after knocking out Katherine Squires