SISTERS Briony and Alex Rutlidge, aged 12 and 14, from Burton-in-Kendal, have been chosen for Great Britain's girls water polo team at their age group.

Alex has also been selected to play for England in Scotland at the end of the month.

The girls who attend Queen Elizabeth School in Kirkby Lonsdale made a big impression by helping the North-East (Cumbria/Northumberland/Durham) team reach the finals of the Inter-Divisional Girls Water Polo Championships at Walsall.

Victories over Greater Manchester (10-2), Yorkshire (7-1) and the West Midlands (8-3) in the play-offs put the North-East team into the final.

The North East trailed 2-0 to the favourites the North-West at half time but pulled a goal back and Alex levelled the scores with a fierce shot.

With a minute to go, Alex then scored her second to put the North East 3-2 up and they stole the ball from their opponents at the restart to hang on and take the title.

Now their trophies will go alongside those earned for representing the Northern Counties when they became the Inter-District Champions of England in March.

May 23, 2003 11:30