TEMPLE Sutton Primary School’s up-and-coming gymnasts have been crowned regional champions.

The Southend-based school was chosen to represent Essex in the competition after winning the county’s gymnastics finals, which was held at Basildon Sporting Village.

And Temple Sutton’s promising youngsters were in impressive form as the school racked up a score of 109.02 to see off the competition and leave headteacher Tim Barrett delighted.

Barrett said: “It was absolutely fantastic for us to be crowned regional champions.

“We have the advantage of being a big school, so we have some qualified PE teachers who have done a fantastic job and the popularity of dance and gymnastics at the school has grown every year for the last three or four years.

“One of the judges told our teacher that one of the boys competing for us was one of the best gymnasts he has ever seen at this age.

“The school has done their bit to help the children to develop and it is now up to us to help them get into a gymnastics club to allow their potential to come through.”

The school’s Year 3 and 4 gymnastics team were able to test themselves on the bars and sprung floors, as well as in foam pits, while they were also being judged on their floor and vault efforts in the competition, which was held in Luton.

Temple Sutton’s pupils started with their floor routine, which they performed well.

Each child then had two jumps on the vault and the score was taken from their best attempt on the apparatus.

As a result of the impressive performances, the Essex representatives were able to see off the threat of schools from Suffolk and Hertfordshire to seal first place.