TABLE tennis whizz Scott Barker ended 2016 and started 2017 on a high after an impressive 12 months of action.

The Thwaites player picked up the Mike Yardley Cadet Trophy for the best under-15s player in the Barrow and District League.

Early in the year, he was an integral part of the Millom School under-16s team who won the Cumbria team title and progressed through the zone finals of the national schools competition at Billingham.

The team reached the regional finals in Grantham, putting them into the top 16 teams in England.

He also represented the Barrow junior team in the Lancashire and Cheshire League, and remained unbeaten in Division One, spearheading their climb to top spot and promotion to the Premier Division.

In the Barrow League’s pre-Christmas Championship of Ping Pong tournament, Barker flew the flag for both Division Two and the juniors as he reached the semi-finals. He lost to the eventual winner, Jonny Lowes, but on the way his victories included beating top Division One players Tony Whitehouse and Derek Harker.

He received the Mark Yardley Award in recognition of his achievements on the table, coupled with his off-the-table sportsmanship and attitude.