CHILDREN from West Devon played a huge role in making the latest countywide celebration of school sports a big success.

The Devon Winter School Games were held in Paignton, attracting nearly 1,500 youngsters aged between 9 and 16 from all over the county.

Tavistock College, Horrabridge Primary School, St Peter's School in Tavistock and St Andrew's School in Yelverton were among those involved.

They'd all earned their place in the county finals by winning inter-school qualifying competitions to represent one of seven areas — North Devon, East Devon, West and South Devon combined, Plymouth, Torbay, Exeter and Mid Devon, and South Dartmoor, which includes Teignbridge.

The children took part in eight different sports - badminton, boccia, cyclo-cross, seven-a-side football, netball, tag rugby, table tennis and volleyball – with mainstream competitions and disability events.

Around 250 youngsters were also on hand to help the smooth running of each competition as officials and event volunteers.

Devon Olympic weightlifter and Commonwealth Games medallist Michaela Breeze gave the youngsters an inspirational talk. The event was the first in a number of such festivals nationwide in three-year programme by Sport England.

There are three more sporting festivals for Devon planned before the Olympics begin on July 27 including the Devon Games To Inspire in Okehampton on June 30.