A team of nine children from Worcestershire represented the county at their first-ever chess tournament.

The under-11 team, consisting of six boys and three girls, participated in the prestigious English Chess Federation event at Nottingham High School.

They competed in four rounds of 15-minute rapid play matches.

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Despite not securing a tournament win, the team gained valuable experience for future competitions.

Chess coach Simon Berry said: "We had a very young and inexperienced team at the tournament but they did superbly and did themselves proud.

"Attending an in-person chess tournament is a big thing so it gives the team a platform to learn from and move forward with more experience."

Mr Berry added: "This was the first time for over 15 years that Worcestershire has been able to enter an over-the-board junior team into any competition, and certainly the first time we have entered into a regional competition.

"They should be very proud of their efforts."

For more information about junior chess clubs in the area, visit the Worcestershire Chess Association website.