CANON Slade junior girls have every reason to be pleased with themselves after producing a magnificent performance in the English Schools Track and Field Cup.

The 12-strong team beat the best schools from Carlisle to Manchester to win the North-west final.

That memorable performance earned them qualification for the national final at Gateshead's International Stadium, where they finished eighth against the 12 top teams in the country.

The 12 and 13-year-old girls all had to compete in one track and one field event and were in dreamland at the halfway stage when their immense quality on the track left them in second position, just one point behind the leaders.

Meanwhile. Canon Slade's girls added to their huge reputation for athletics when they virtually swept the board in the Bolton town athletics championships.

They won the year seven, eight, nine, 10 and 11 age groups, and were only denied a clean sweep when they drew the sixth form event with Turton.

They also won all three age groups -- years seven, eight and nine -- and the overall girls' competition in the Voluntary Aided Schools Games.

With the help of the boys' team -- which won their year seven age group -- they also picked up the overall school prize, ahead of schools from as far afield as Lancaster, Bacup and Liverpool.