CHESS players from Lawn Junior School struck gold at the semi finals of the English Primary Schools' Chess Championships held at Brean Sands Holiday Centre in Somerset.

The six-strong team of under nines, including one infant, took fourth place and won a gold medal. They missed a place in the final by just one point.

In an excellent all round performance, in which no one scored less than 50 per cent, top scorer was Luke Burroughs, nine.

His younger brother Adam, at six the baby of the team, scored well too. Eight-year-old Harry Cleeves led the team, which also included Matthew Whitehead, nine, Alex Adams, eight, and Kiran Palmer, nine.

Two Swindon under 11 teams, from Westlea and Lethbridge, shared eighth place and were awarded silver trophies in their age group. Lewis Martin, of Westlea, won all six of his games on top board, and Emma-Louise Parker, on board two, dropped only one point.