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A group of pupils in Sleaford have represented their school at a recent national track and field event, with four relay runners winning their race and earning the crown of English champions for their age.

On Saturday, July 2, an Inter Girls Athletics team made up of year 9 and 10 students from St George’s Academy in Sleaford, took part in the English Schools Athletics Association Track and Field Cup National Finals in Oxfordshire.

The girls qualified for the event for the first time in the school’s history after winning the regional round comfortably in Derby on June 16.

Heading into the national final they were already the best school for girls’ athletics in the whole North Midlands, and despite difficult conditions they did themselves and their school proud.

Lily Wilcox and Holly Dilks ahead of their triple jump competition.

The team consisted of 15 athletes and one team manager, they were:

• Kyla Copus – Team Manager
• Lily Wilcox
• Lucy Cullum
• Laurel Mountain
• Maddie Cody
• Freya Nicol
• Holly Dilks
• Holly Johnson
• Keira Woollaston
• Izzie Hemmant
• Gabby Greig
• Sienna Slater
• Tia Coulson
• Natasha Doggett
• Holly Young
• Tegan Thompson

Notable achievements for the girls were a 2nd place finish for Keira Woollaston, who threw a new personal best in the Hammer event, as well as a 4th place in the 100m for Sienna Slater. Her time of 13.0 seconds saw her qualify for the English Schools competition too.

Freya Nicol, Maddie Cody, Tegan Thompson and Natasha Doggett are officially the fastest school relay team in the country!

However, it was the relay team of Tegan Thompson, Maddie Cody, Freya Nicol and Natasha Doggett who stole the show – winning their race with an impressive time of 57.2 seconds.

St George’s Academy finished in 11th place out of 13 competing teams, missing out on the top 10 by just 15 points across the board.

In a competition dominated by independent and grammar schools, the performance of St George’s Academy caught the eye as the Lincolnshire-based girls took on, and in some instances beat, some of the best athletes in the entire country.

The girls did fantastically well competing against some of the country’s top young athletes.

Miss Cox, the coach of the team and a PE teacher at St George’s Academy, said: “I am so proud of what the girls have achieved this season and they have been a pleasure to work with!

“Their successes have been as a result of a huge team effort; commitment and dedication to training has been exceptional and the bond and friendship between the girls has driven them to push for more.

“They have become role models to younger year groups and are inspiring the younger teams to be as positive and enthusiastic about Athletics as they are.”

Laurel Mountain walking out for her 800m event.

A 20-year-old man has been locked up for three years after starting a fire in care accommodation with a discarded cigarette.

Callum Lilliot, 20, dropped a cigarette on his coat which he then threw onto his bed at his care accommodation in Awdry Drive, Wisbech, at about 10pm on Boxing Day 2021.

Officers initially were called to the property when Lilliot threatened to jump out of a second-floor window, but arrived to find smoke coming from an open window.

An officer began to kick the door down through fears that people were inside, before a carer opened it with a key and police tried to tackle the fire themselves.

The officers were beaten back by smoke and heat, causing two of them to be hospitalised with smoke inhalation. Four residents and carers were evacuated as Lilliot was arrested a short time later.

He claimed the fire had been an accident as temporary accommodation had to be arranged for other residents, but that was not to be the last time that Christmastime he got himself in trouble with the police.

In a further incident on December 29, just three days later, Lilliot rang 999 to say he wanted to hurt staff at Peterborough’s Edith Cavell Centre by burning it down.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of arson with intent to endanger life, arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered, and threatening to damage or destroy property, during a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, June 29.

Lilliot was sentenced to three years detention in a young offenders institution.

Detective Sergeant Lee Womak, who investigated, said: “Lilliot showed little regard for the safety of others when he decided to deliberately drop his cigarette on his coat and start a fire.

“I don’t need to explain why starting fires is so dangerous and I hope Lilliot will reflect on his actions and consider how tragic the consequences could have been.”