BADMINTON: THE boys of St James’s School, Farnworth have won through to the North West regional finals of the National Schools Badminton Championships.

The four-strong team of Chris Saunders, Bharath Bhudia, Chris Mealor and Suren Lad beat Cheadle Hulme in the final of the Year 10 and 11 category in the at Greater Manchester finals at the Castle Hill Leisure Centre, Bury.

Their impressive performance to finish top of the 17 teams representing the boroughs of Greater Manchester, secured a place in the regional finals at Leigh Sports Village where they will face competition from Cumbria, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Lancashire for a place in the national finals.

More than 50 schools competed in four age groups at the Castle Hill event, including quartets from Thornleigh Salesian College, who competed in the boys’ event and Canon Slade and Rivington & Blackrod who took part in the girls’ competition.

Altrincham Girls won both age group finals and Altrincham Grammar School won the boys’ Year 7, 8 and 9 category.