ST Bees School has competed in the first Eton Fives tournament since re-opening in 2018.

A group made up of four students and two members of staff from St Bees School made the journey down to Shrewsbury at the weekend to compete in the 2023 Northern Tournament, organised by the Eton Fives Association.

Eton Fives is a handball game that was brought to life in the late 19th century at Eton College.

The aim of the game is to stop your opponent from hitting the ball off the front wall. It is thought that St Bees School is home to the most northerly Eton Fives court in the world.

Assistant head Laurence Gribble led the team, being a former Cambridge University Eton Fives player himself.

Mr Gribble said: “I am immensely proud of the effort and determination our Eton Fives team has put in over the last couple of terms.

“To finally have a Fives team back up and running at St Bees is something I have waited a long time for, especially being a keen player myself – it has been great to be involved again.”

Whitehaven News: Students compete in the Eton Fives game Students compete in the Eton Fives game (Image: St Bees School)

Brad Simpson, the school's PE teacher who is originally from New Zealand, along with four of the school's international students from Germany and Spain, made up the rest of the truly international effort.

The team made it to the semi-final of one of the tournaments before being knocked out; nevertheless, the team plan on returning to the tournament next year, and others similar, with Mr Gribble adding: “We’re very lucky to have an Eton Fives court on our school grounds, which allows our team to train as much as they want after school.

“I have no doubt the St Bees School Eton Fives team will continue to go from strength to strength.”