PICKERING Community Junior School’s cricket team fell at the penultimate hurdle in the North Yorkshire finals.

Pickering had stormed through the area qualifiers to get to the county showdown in York, and there they beat Knavesmire and Bradley primary schools in their section to reach the semi-finals.

However, they lost out to a strong Bedale team, who remained unbeaten throughout the competition. Spokeswoman Hazel Winter said: “Alongside some great individual performances with the bat, the players fielded particularly effectively, working together superbly as a team to back each other up.”

Meanwhile, the school laid on taster sessions in both badminton and fencing as part of National School Sports Week.

Free sessions were also offered to pupils by the North Ryedale Leisure Centre, Ryedale Judo Club, Pickering Basketball Club and Pickering Cricket Club.

Winter said the highlight of the week was a sponsored walk organised by the Friends of the School, in conjunction with parent Sandra McNicoll, who liaised with the North York Moors Railway to secure a free trip to Levisham and back on a train pulled by the 'Sir Nigel Gresley'.

A total of 337 walkers had the choice of a 3.5-mile circular route returning by train, or a 6.5-mile route finishing at the school.

Winter added: “Blessed with good weather, the participants overcame the threat of highland cattle barring their path and the hindrance of midges at lunchtime to return to school safely.”