FIVE youngsters from St Mary's School at Fownhope have secured places at the national finals of the British Land UK Chess Challenge in Staffordshire in July.

Matthew Hales, Jaysen Jevon, Matthew Deem, Elliott Williams and Paul Williams have all qualified from the regional finals in Worcester.

In fact, Matthew Hales had the distinction of winning all six of his matches in the under-10 section at the regional finals, which involved children from Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

The five youngsters from St Mary's will now be aiming to go one better and book their places at the Grand Final in London later in the summer.

Pictured, six-match winning supremo Matthew Hales makes his move.