DURHAM Chorister School has hit a high note in the choir stalls and on the pitch.

It rounded off an excellent sporting year when its under-11 cricket team played in the national final of a competiton for the second year running, at Old Trafford.

Unfortunately the team did not progress beyond the group stage in the contest, organised by The Daily Telegraph.

Teacher John Bland said: "There were four groups of three teams. We won the first game and lost the second. We didn't reach the semi-finals because we lost too many wickets.

"The boys were disappointed but they did well to get there two years in a row. Overall we have had an excellent year."

The school's run of success began when its rugby side won the Under-13 County Cup, beating rivals from state and independent schools.

Football success followed as the school won the under-13 prep school soccer league and reached the finals of a five-a-side competition for cathedral choristers.

The school's swimming team added more trophies for the cabinet by winning the North-East Prep Schools Swimming Gala at Darlington's Dolphin Centre.

Headteacher Stephen Drew said: "The biggest triumph of all has been in athletics.

"Last week, the Chorister School won the Lindisfarne Plate, competed for by seven strong prep school teams at the Monkton Stadium in Jarrow.

"Chorister athletes set three new records for this competition.

"The following day, the team were runners up in the North-East Schools Pentathlon Competition - they said that they were a bit tired after winning the previous day's competition.

"Two new records were at another prep schools meet at Clairville Stadium in Middlesbrough which was again won by The Chorister School Athletics Team.

"Six members of the team represented the North-East at National Prep Schools Athletics Championships at Stoke on Trent.