PARK School under-11 girls table tennis team are the toast of the county after becoming the first Dorset team to qualify for the National Schools Finals.

The on-song quartet of Jessica Holloway, Ron Rubin, Charlotte Feilden and Kayleigh Rees won all three of their regional final matches at Harewood College.

Their southern area wins were against Brockenhurst Primary School (5-3), Farnham Common Junior School (7-1) and London-based Fox Primary School (5-3).

“The final match (against Fox Primary) was very tense,” said Park School coach Matt Spraggs.

“Both teams were unbeaten with a place in the national finals at stake for the winner. We are proud to be the first-ever team from Dorset, of any age group, to qualify for the national finals.”

Park School under-ll girls will face the three other regional winners at the national finals in Hinckley, Leicestershire on Saturday, March 22.

Harewood College under-16 boys team came within a whisker of matching Park School’s feat.

The Bournemouth-based team were joint first, but lost on a countback of sets won.

Park School under-11 boys – Dan Edwards, James Franklin, Barney Jackson and Matthew Stanfield – finished third in their age category.

Other Dorset teams to compete in the Southern Area Regional Finals were Queen Elizabeth under-16 boys, Talbot Heath under-19 girls, Wey Valley College under-13 girls, Bournemouth & Poole College under-19 boys and Harewood College under-13 boys.