A GROUP of girls from Millom are taking the sporting community by storm after being chosen to complete in a major game. 

Seven girls from Millom School were selected to represent the county in the girls' under 15 rugby club. 

The girls fought off stiff competition from 73 other players across the county for the chance to play in the first match of the season against neighbouring county, Northumberland.

Due to bad weather, the game -which should have taken place yesterday at Tyneside - was cancelled at the last minute. 

Helen Kinrade, PE teacher at Millom School, said: "It's a little bit disappointing but it's just one of those things.

"There were a lot of girls in Cumbria who couldn't even get to the motorway because of road closures. 

"We're hoping to hold the next game, which is at the end of November, in Millom because so many of our girls are in the team."

Almost half of the 15-a-side team were made up of pupils from Millom School, which included year nine and ten pupils Bethany Pattinson, Antonia Eastland Cole, Gretta Procter, Abbie Leigh Cole, Taleesha Pennington, Caitlin Minter and Mia Dobson. 

Miss Pattinson was delighted to have been selected for the squad. 

She said: "I'm really pleased to have been chosen to represent Cumbria and I'm looking forward to the game this weekend.

"I would also like to thank Millom Rugby Union and the school for recommending me."

Despite facing fierce competition from other schools across Cumbria, Miss Kinrade is thrilled that so many Millom girls made the team.

She said: "It was a huge surprise to us all. We knew we had good girls at schools but for that many to be picked we were shocked. 

"They are very good but we were against stiff competition from across the county. "

She added: “We are all very proud of the girls, they have worked hard both in lessons and at training to display their talent in front of England Rugby Union Coaches from across Cumbria. 

"They beat off up to seventy other athletes for their position on the team, well done girls.”