Whitworth High bowlers in national 10-pin final

The Whitworth High School Panathalon bowling team

Bowlers from Whitworth Community High School have won a place in the national final of the Panathlon Challenge.

The Year 7 team played in a 10-pin bowling competition held at MFA Bowling in Burnley in November to earn them a place in the secondary school final at Ten Pin Blackburn on 4 February against the best Lancashire schools.

Now, as the team finished in third place, Dexter Frazer, Minnie Barrett, Amelia Hopkins, Alex Doyle, Blake Sampson and Lucia Clarke, will compete in the national final – to be held at the Hollywood Bowl, Bolton, on 19 March.

Fourteen national final events will be held simultaneously around the country on that day with the highest scoring team being declared champions.

Dexter, 12, said: “The first ball I bowled got all 10 pins down – I got a strike. I was speechless and shaking when we got through. It was good to be able to play as a team.

“I have been bowling a few times with my dad and I got all the pins down but my dad only got one.”

Minnie said: “My favourite thing about taking part was finding out that we had made it through to the finals as I didn’t expect us to be able to get through because the other schools were so good.

“I am looking forward to the final because every single time we have competed it has been good fun.”

Any bowlers who scored more than 100 got an extra certificate and become members of the 100 club and Amelia and Minnie both achieved that milestone.

National charity Panathlon Challenge runs events to give children with disabilities a chance to represent their school, win a medal and get certificates, just like any other sporting team does.

In Rossendale, the event is run in conjunction with Rossendale School Sports Partnership.