It's a knight to remember

Alicia Custy with her certificate, the Under 10 Suprema Trophy and her invitation to the Delancy Gigafinal

OLDHAM is building itself a reputation for budding chess players.

Oldham schools hosted the English Primary School's Chess Association's Under 11s National Final at Waterhead Academy and the regional final of the world's biggest chess tournament "The Delancy UK Schools Chess Challenge" at Saddleworth School.

And there was success in the tournaments for Oldham's youngsters.

At Saddleworth more than 100 of the area's top players aged from seven to 18 competed to qualify for a place in the semi-final stage at Gorton in July where nearly a thousand of the best Under 18s players from all areas north of London, including Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and even Gibraltar, will compete in the "Northern Gigafinal" for a place in the Delancy UK school's Chess Challenge "Terrafinal".

More than 60,000 young players compete nationally each year initially in clubs and schools.

Oldhamers Alica Custy, who won the Under 10s Suprema, and Benjamin Newton, who won the Under 8s Supremo, qualified for a place in the Gigafinal. At Waterhead Academy, almost 400 children from 15 county areas as far away as Kent and Sussex competed in the English Primary School's Chess Association.

Local teams included Tameside, Oldham and Lancashire whilst neighbouring Greater Manchester and Yorkshire failed to qualify.

The young Oldham Town Team were out-gunned by the big county teams but enjoyed the experience and the opportunity of a rare home match at a venue the envy of the many Southern teams.

The Waterhead Academy and the organisation so impressed the National Association that it has invited Oldham to host next year's Under 9s regional competition.