TWO of Swindon's talented band of chess players will be taking a week off school and winging their way to the former Soviet state of Estonia in the New Year.
Commonweal's Joshua Hall, 13, and Nicola Thomas, 11, from Ridgeway School, Wroughton, have been picked to join an England under 14 squad taking on the Estonians in February.
The two will spend a week in the Estonian capital of Talin while their classmates return to lessons after the half term break in February.
For Joshua, whose younger brother and fellow international Daniel has captained the England Under 12 side this year, the trip is the latest in a series of international fixtures since he earned a place in the national squad in 1999.
Nicola won her place in the squad at the Under 11 trial this summer and has already represented England in matches against Wales and Belgium.
The pair are just two of Swindon's current record number of junior internationals. As well as Daniel, the town boasts a second pair of brothers Alex, 16 and 14 year old Richard Webb, of Warneford School David Bareham, 16, from Bradon Forest School and Philip Hayward, 14, from Commonweal.
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