Swindon's 10-year-old chess player extraordinaire Daniel Hall, of Old Town, had a weekend to remember when he travelled to Leeds for the national Rapidplay championships.

Not only did he become the new British Under-12 Rapidplay chess champion, he also learned that he will captain the English Under-11 team this season.

Daniel, who shares the Under-12 title with 11-year-old James Peet, of London, after they tied on 5.5 out of six in the competition, was approached by England manager Ian Cowen after his success and told of his appointment as captain. He had already captained an Under-10 national team against Wales last year.

The chances of Daniel having a fellow Swindon player in the side with him increased at Leeds, for in the Under-11 championships the previous day, Aidan Glennie, of Westlea, celebrated his 11th birthday with a share of sixth place and, more importantly, qualification for a place in the next England trial.

He finished just half a point behind Daniel, who was equal second with five points out of six. Two other England trial hopefuls, Alastair Drew, 11, and Adam Wiltshire, 10, both of Old Town, each finished on a creditable three points out of six.

n In Torquay, Swindon's Nick George, 13, shared second place in his graded section of the Torbay congress.