NINE Helensburgh and Lomond primary schools took part in the area's annual school athletics competition at Ardencaple.

In perfect, sunny weather, more than 145 pupils competed in five different disciplines during the day.

Lomond School's PE staff, led by Margery Taylor, organised the event, assisted by members of Helensburgh Amateur Athletics Club and LiveArgyll's Active Schools co-ordinator, Martin Caldwell, who also sponsored the prize winners' medals.

Craig Dunlop was the official starter, with Chris Colmer, Betty Colmer, Wilson Hamilton, Lesley Serpell, Daz Murphy, Bev and Kirsty Johnston from Hermitage Academy's PE department all helping Margery officiate.

In the 60-metre heats, the fastest eight runners made the final, and the girls' competition was won by Eloise Dunn (Hermitage Primary) with Kiera Burns of Rhu in second place and Colgrain's Naeve Mozeley third.

In the boys' final, the gold medal was presented to Alex Brown (Rhu), while the silver medal went to Calum Poirier (Hermitage) and the bronze to Harry Chan of Lomond School.

The 600m race, over three laps of the 200-metre track, saw Maddie Roonie of Cardross finish first in the girls' race in a time of two minutes and five seconds, one second ahead of Jenna Gallacher (Lomond), with Daisy Butcheer of Arrochar and Paris Wiseman (Colgrain) equal third in 2min 9sec.

The boys' 600m was won by Rupert Keating of Kilcreggan in 2min 2sec, and in another close finish, the Hermitage Primary pair of Gethin Davies and Theo Field finished second and third, after both crossed the line in 2min 3sec.

Emily Mansfield of Colgrain won the girls' standing long jump with a best effort of 1.95 metres, with Kilcreggan's Olivia Hier second on 1.72m, while Katy Murphy (Colgrain) reached 1.68m to take third.

The boys' long jump competition saw Max Fisher from Rhu take gold with a jump of 1.96m, just ahead of Edward Wang (Lomond) on 1.92m, with Mikey Miller (Rhu) completing the podium on 1.88m.

Sophia Darcy from Rosneath Primary took gold in the girls' shot- put with a best throw of 6.09 metres, ahead of Dora Beseny (Hermitage) on 5.90m and Ellie Buckley (Rosneath), who won bronze with her effort of 5.65m.

A best effort of 6.90m won Noah Brown (Hermitage) gold in the boys' shot-put, while Jacob Shields of St Joseph's took the silver medal on 6.43m, with Jacob Evans (Cardross) securing bronze after recording a best throw of 6.13m.

The relay races were run in straight finals, with the fastest three times taking the medals.

Colgrain's quartet of Samantha Barella, Naeve Mozeley, Katy Murphy and Paris Wiseman won gold in the girls' event with a time of one minute and 5.29 seconds, with Kiera Burns, Isabel Gregory, Eva Jenkins and Serena Brannan of Rhu Primary finishing second, while the Cardross team of Eva Rooney, Maddie Rooney, Rowan Mair and Naomi MacMillan secured the bronze medal.

In the boys' relay event, the Rhu team of Oliver Impey, Fabian Qureshi, Ross Wilson and Alex Brown took gold in a fast time of just 59 seconds.

Hermitage Primary's team of Calum Poirier, Charlie Cook, Gethin Davies and Jock Cordner won silver medals, with the Lomond quartet of Harry Chan, Ewan McCartney, Oscar Deighan and Findlay Penniston completing the podium.

Martin Caldwell said: "Very many thanks to all the participants and supporters who turned out on the day."