A TEAM of chess players from Swindon is celebrating after winning a national tournament.

The team believes that it could be the first time a junior chess team from Wiltshire has won a national competition.

Earlier this month the Wiltshire under-18 chess team travelled to Leicester to compete in the English Chess Federation under 18 team event.

After a nail-biting finish, Wiltshire won the tournament by half a point from the current holders of the trophy Kent.

Teams of 12 from all over the country took part in the event.

And it is the first time that Wiltshire has ever won the trophy.

The trophy is a huge chessboard, dating back to 1950, with all the county team winners from the past 56 years displayed.

Helena Thomas, one of the organisers of the team, said: "They have all done extremely well and we are proud of them all.

"And they are all very impressed with the trophy which our team will be added to."

The Swindon team members included captain Josh Hall, 17, Dan Hall, 16, Robbie Dams, 16, Nicola Thomas, 16, Robbie Coats, 15, Jack Cleeves, 12, Toby Hall, 13, Sarah Thomas, 16, Aidan Glennie, 16, and Mark Garnett, 11.