A SPORTY Beaconhurst pupil has been named British Air Training Corps Cross Country Champion.

Carrie Banks won the Under 15s Girls race when she represented Scotland and Northern Ireland at the recent ATC Inter Region Cross Country Championships.

The 13-year-old, who is a triathlon scholar at Beaconhurst, joined the ATC 1019 (City of Stirling) Squadron last year.

She quickly became a core part of its Cross-Country team and represented her squadron in a qualifying event last October despite having a broken arm from a bike accident.

From there, she went on to represent South East Scotland in a race in February where both U15 boys and girls ran together and she was placed third overall and first girl.

Carrie, an S2 pupil who is trained by coach Gordon Crawford, then travelled to RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire where she beat off competition from around 30 other cadets to win the Under 15s Girls 3.5K race.

The athletic teenager, who is a member of both Stirling Triathlon Club and Central Athletics, was awarded her Corps Blues for Cross Country and the title of Corps British Cross Country Champion 2016/2017.

The title means her Squadron are celebrating having their first ever Cross Country Champion since forming in 1941.

Beaconhurst’s Headteacher Sandra Bannerman said she was proud of Carrie’s efforts which reflect the school’s values of resilience and ambition.

She said: "This is a fantastic achievement from Carrie who is a great role model for the school and embodies all the standards we expect from our talented sports scholars.

"To win her ATC Corps Blue and become the overall ATC Cross Country Champion for her age group is amazing and we are all very proud of her at Beaconhurst."