A SCHOOL in Windermere has scooped a top accolade at the Cumbria Sports Personality of the Year awards.

St Martin & St Mary Church of England School won the Active Education award at the glittering ceremony at Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa.

The school has been awarded the Gold School Games Mark Accreditation for their sporting provision, recognising a curriculum offering 18 different sports throughout the academic year with activities inclusive of all pupils.

And 2019 proved to be the greatest year yet for the school as they won gold at Cumbria School Games, qualifying in gymnastics, tri-golf, hockey, athletics, orienteering and netball across multiple age groups.

The school also competed in the National Cross Country Championships, the British National Gymnastics Championships and the Borders and North of England Hockey Championships.

And of the three Rising Star awards presented to emerging talents from the South Lakeland area, two went to youngsters from South Lakeland.

Kendal's swimming ace Elliott Woodburn was one of those after a year in which he won every event he entered at the county championships, taking 13 golds, and was also crowned regional champion in four events.

At the Scottish Open Championships he claimed five open titles and at the British Summer Championships, an invitation only event for the top 24 swimmers in the country, he won the 50m and 100m breaststroke titles and took silver in the 200m breaststroke as well as reaching two further finals.

The second Rising Star was Esmeè Holgate of High Bentham from the ultra-competitive world of judo.

She won the Midland Area Age Band Championships and the British Schools Championships, took silver in the Northern Ireland Open Championships and bronze while competing for England in both the Flevvoland Open International and Alkmaar Open Championships in Holland.

The main award of Cumbria Sports Personality of the Year went to cricket hero Ben Stokes while the Junior Team of the Year was awarded to Cumbria under 15 cricket team.

“The Awards were a superb event and an excellent opportunity to celebrate the enormous effort and talents of the sporting stars of Cumbria," said judging panel chair Richard Johnston.