Boccia hopefuls from Copeland and Allerdale competed to represent their district in the School Games Boccia tournament on Wednesday February 13.

Nelson Thomlinson and Mayfield will go on to July's County Finals in Carlisle after placing first and second in the regional tournament.

Boccia is a version of Bowls for disabled students who can kick, throw or roll balls as close to a target ball as possible.

The Active Zone at Lakes College provided a venue for the competition as it is West Cumbria's accredited Boccia Centre.

Alison Ashton, School Games co-ordinator for Copeland said: "This is a great facility."

Linda Borthwick co-ordinates Allerdale's School Games efforts, she said: "We do really well with the size and rurality of the area. A lot of schools go the distance."

Young leaders from the schools and colleges hosting officiate and run the tournaments. The young people who officiated a tennis tournament were awarded a Tennis Young Leaders qualification.

Holly Scowcroft, a tutor at Lakes College said: "They absolutely love volunteering, the students."

Although the aim is to progress up the ladder in the School Games tournaments, Allison Ashton said: "We call them pathway events, it's got the pathway into clubs outside of the event."

Louise Lynch and Leon Thompson from Lakes College were key to the running of the event as they are heavily involved with Boccia. Louise Lynch and Leon Thompson have lead the Boccia club for 10 years and classes are held at Lakes College every Thursday.

The School Games Boccia county championships will take place in Carlisle in July.