HALTON players carved out a piece of table tennis history in a landmark national competition.

Andrew Harper struck gold with a winning performance at the UK School Games in Coventry, where Jack Hunter-Spivey claimed bronze for an excellent third place.

Their triumphs resulted from disabilities table tennis being part of the games schedule for the first time.

This meant of the eight component sports, three featured disabilities events.

Andrew, from Warrington, was successful in the standing category while Widnes boy Jack's achievement came in the wheelchair class.

He bounced back from 2-1 down to win a fantastic five-set battle with Krysten Coombs (South West England) 3, -8, -7, 11, 5.

Jack, 12, was the youngest competitor at the entire games and could not conceal his delight after making the podium at the Ricoh Arena - home of Coventry City Football Club.

'This has been unbelievable,' admitted Jack, whose training has been aided this year by a Halton Sports Development grant.

'It was amazing to compete on such a stage and in a fantastic venue. All the teams have really helped us feel at home.'

Jack defeated North West England team-mate Aaron Waterhouse in three straight sets to win the third and fourth place decider.

Four Halton TTC members were part of the North-West England team for the Under 18s able-bodied competition.

Mark Roscaleer (Runcorn), Neil Baker (St Helens), Josh Bleakley (Bolton) and Fiona Dennett (Northwich) competed against other regions of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

They were joined in the NWE line-up by Warrington's Jake Shaw, who also trains at Halton Stadium's table tennis centre.

In the boys event, North West England finished eighth but turned in some very good performances against higherranked players.

The girls came in fourth, losing 4-3 to North East England in the bronze medal play-off.

Unluckiest player of all was Dennett, who was prevented from playing in the individual event due to a shoulder injury.

Rosacaleer, the reigning Halton League men's champion at 18-years-old, was runner-up in the boys' consolation event at the UK Games - losing the final to England's number ten Chris Doran (Midlands) 7, 13, -8, 9.