A CHEERLEADING team from Rossendale returned from a contest in Slovenia as sixth best in Europe.

20 members of the Pioneer Cheerleading team, based in Bacup, competed against some of the top cheerleading troupes from across Europe at the European Championships 2011 in Ljublijana.

The result was hailed as a great achievement for the squad, which has only been competing for two years.

Fayhe-Louise Mitchell, head coach and project owner, said: “I am so proud of the Pioneers and what they have achieved in such a small amount of time.

Hopefully they will continue to progress and maybe one day come home with the gold.”