TWO groups of Shebbear pupils have been congratulated for their sporting success before and during the Easter holiday.

Mr and Mrs Gunning, who run the Martial Arts Club at Shebbear’s Prep School, presented a number of the pupils with certificates and belts following their grading assessment at the end of last term.

The successful pupils were: Luke Honey, Keira Gunning, Toby Hutchinson, Thomas Clewley, Sebastian Crookes, Savanah Whitechurch, Oliver Hartman, Jesse-Mae Foster, Jemima Johnstone, James Fenwick, Hamish MacDougall, Emily Hutchinson, Demelza Short, Annabella Baker-Scott, Adam Pennington and William Robins. Congratulations to you all.

Head of Prep School Mike Furber said: “It is reassuring to know that I can now surround myself with such an effective group of bodyguards should I come under attack at any time in the future.”

Mr Furber also congratulated the gymnastics team of Emily Forwood, Gracie Boycott and Jessica Prichard, who competed at the North Devon Schools Gymnastics Championships at Falcons Academy in Barnstaple on the first Sunday of the Easter holidays.

Mr Furber added: “Thanks to some expert training by Mr Law, the girls were well prepared for the event and finished an impressive 4th in the Under 11 Novice section. It is my hope that we can enter more pupils in next year’s competition as we have done in the past.”