Ekco Monarchs are looking for a few more teams to join their kwik cricket festival on August 11 and 15.

The club currently has enough teams to keep three of their five pitches occupied during the 5-8pm sessions.

Now they want a few more teams of six boys and girls under the age of 12 to enter the free event.

If you can help your child get a team together and see that at least one adult is available on the evening to look after the youngsters, contact George Stirk on 01268 540726 by Thursday.

George can also help find a team for any individuals who want to join in the 20-minute games.

Ekco held a successful kwik cricket day with local primary schools last month.

Pupils turn it around

A reversal in fortunes saw pupils at Rayleigh's Wyburns Primary School sweep to victory in the district sports competition - twelve months after coming last in the event!

Many local primary schools took part in the event at Appleton School, Benfleet and proud Wyburns headmaster Mervyn Pocock was delighted with the about turn.

"Because we are such a small school, with only 120 juniors, winning this shield is like Luxembourg winning the Olympics," he said.

"Staff have worked very hard to turn the situation around since last year and have given some excellent coaching over the last 12 months."

The victory was the latest in a long line of successes notched up by the school this year.

Wyburns also won a seven-a-side soccer competition staged at Roots Hall recently and the school's girls made the finals of the mini-football tournament at King George's Park in Raleigh before bowing out to winners, Edwards Francis.

Card pair win by mile

Paul Spencer and Andy Graham were the champions at Rayleigh Bridge Club's weekly session.

Their score of 70 per cent beat the other ten pairs competing. Mike Case and Ray Cornell (59 per cent) were second and Roger Bright and Alex Lynam (58 per cent) third.

Paul Spencer and Marc Chawner (72.2 per cent) beat 14 other pairs to win Basildon Bridge Club's session. Linda Barker and Simon Moorman (63 per cent) were second and Alan Green and Ray Cornell (57 per cent) were third.

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