SPORTS SHORTS

NEWCASTLE Taekwondo Schools’ Laura Burtle won a gold medal for England at the European Championships in Croatia.

First dan Burtle was one of three students from the school to represent their country at the event, which featured 800 students from 28 countries.

Neve Orrick teamed up with Burtle to claim a brown medal in team special technic while Nicholas Cameron reached the quarter-finals of the patterns competition.

■■BACK row Connor Madden capped a fine season by being voted first team player of the year at Rockliff Rugby Club’s end-of-season awards night.

Nat Walder was named players’ player of the year and the most improved player of the year award went to Michael Hansen.

Andy Dunn won the supporters’ player of the year award. ■■CRAMLINGTON Saints secured the Northumberland Table Tennis League Division Three title after being awarded a 10-0 victory over Cramlington Dynamos, who had conceded the match.

They finished top on 107 points, Stocksfield C second with 103. ■■GUIDEPOST have been crowned champions of the Ashington and District Snooker League.

They finished on 82 points, the same number as Blyth Regent A but took the title courtesy of winning more games.

■■NEW Hartley Juniors are the new champions of the Durham Youth League after defeating nearest rivals Spennymoor 2-1.

AJ Barbour bagged both goals for the Northumberland outfit. ■■ROCKCLIFF and Percy Park Under- 18s served up an excellent end-of-season derby rugby clash at Hillheads, a late Park fightback not enough to stop Rockcliff taking the spoils 24-15. ■■Sixteen-year-old Sam Johnson became the first player from Chester-le-street United to represent England at any level while at the club.

The youngster, a student at Park

View Academy,

(pictured) made his debut in the

Centenary Shield

International for

England Schoolboys Under-18s against the Republic of Ireland.

The midfielder made an immediate impact when coming on as a 57th-minute substitute his first touch only a minute later leading to England’s equaliser! ■■GOLF prospect Faye Wheatley contests the Belgian Ladies Open later this month after winning the prestigious Faldo Series last year.

The 16-year-old plays for Whickham, Northumberland and Heworth Golf Clubs.