DEERNESS Gymnastics Academy is aiming high this weekend when its young acrobats enter the Regional NDP (National Development Program) Championships.

The regional championships are being held in South Shields where 23 acrobats from Deerness will compete in seven different categories to represent the region at national level.

The Deerness Gymnastics Academy gymnasts competing are: Grade 3 Women's Group - Ariana Dubov, 11, Chester-le-Street; Poppy Herring, 12, Durham; and Ebony Young, 10, Newton Aycliffe, Grade 4 Women's Group: Rachel Fegus, 16, Washington; Anna Alderson, 17, Durham; and Lucy Stewart, 11, Durham, Grade 4 Women's Group: Abbie Thompson, 15, Newcastle; Kaira Farrier, 13 Durham; and Bracken Childs, 9, Durham.

Grade 5 Women's Group: Evie Field, 14, Durham; Jenny Lawson, 13, Chester-le-Street; and Jennifer Murphy, 10, Spennymoor. Grade 6 Women's Group:

Chloe Thompson, 17, Newcastle; Chelsea Nesbitt, 16, Sunderland; and Verity Kell, 11, Durham. Grade 4 Women's Pair: Cara Winship, 13, Hetton and Amelia Harrison, 10, Durham, Grade 3 Men's Pair: Alec Lowes, 12, Gateshead and Jonathon Henderson, 10, Hexham, Grade 4 Men's Pair: Luke Neil, 14, Chester-le-Street and Louis Baxter, 13, School Aycliffe, Grade 4 Men's Pair: William Bryson, 13, Durham and Matthew De Vallans Toor, 13, Durham.

Over 100 gymnasts from clubs right across the North-East will thrill and entertain with their skills as they contend for medals in the different categories. Only the winner in each category will qualify to represent the region at the National Finals in May.

At the same event last year, ten acrobats from Deerness Gymnastics Academy won gold medals and went on to represent the North in the finals.