Two Billericay students from St Martin's School, Hutton, have achieved top sporting success.

Richard Dupay, aged 13 of Ramden Bellhouse, has been chosen to train with the Great Britain skiing squad this winter.

Also, Erin Johnston has helped demonstrate that trampolining competitions are as easy as one, two, three after teams from the School took first second and third places in a top competition.

On Dupay's ski-ing success, St Martin's Head of PE Glyn Jones said: "Richard is a member of the Brentwood Park Ski-ing Club and took up the sport four years ago.

"He trains hard at his sport and has achieved a very high standard of expertise, which is why he has now been selected to train with the Great Britain squad.

"This is an excellent opportunity for him to benefit from the expertise of top national coaches and experienced skiers who will be working alongside him as part of the British squad.

We wish him every success with his training programme and hope that he will soon reach the standard that will enable him to win medals for Britain in international competition."

Erin, 12, was part of the St Martin's team which took first and third places in the girls' under-13 competition at the Eastern Region finals to earn a place in the national zonal event.

This goes ahead at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre next Sunday and Glyn Jones said: "Apart from first and third places for the under-13 girls, our under-15 boys also won through by finishing second.

"We are delighted to have three teams which have demonstrated such skill and expertise at trampolining, which is one of a wide range of sports on offer at St Martin's, and we wish them every success in the zonal finals."

Heading for the slopes - ski star Richard Dupay

Mayflower mission

Billericay's Mayflower School will be hoping to leave the opposition red-faced a week today when they bid for a place in the last 32 of the English Schools FA's under-14 Heinz Ketchup Cup.

Mayflower have home advantage for the last 64 tie with Northgate School, Ipswich, and the match kicks-off at 1pm.

Fitz fight back

Fighting comeback - from the year seven boys' basketball team at Fitzwimarc School, Rayleigh.

For they hit back from being behind until eight minutes from the end of their clash with Southend High and eventually won 36-34

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.