Lady Lumley's mountain biking team recently increased to 15 members

Pupils from Lady Lumley's School in Pickering won the North Yorkshire schools mountain biking challenge at Helmsley's Duncombe Park on Sunday.

The event was part of the Cycling Sunday in Ryedale, which included the Ryedale Grand Prix.

David Gwillam, who was in charge of the team, told BBC York: "Mountain biking is relatively new to the school so it's great that we won.

"Every rider had to ride as many laps as they could under time conditions," he added.

"First, they had to do a one-lap time-trial, which they won, and then they had to do a relay event for 35 minutes, getting as many laps as they could possibly manage.

This will be a fairly major boost to the school David Gwillam

"We won, just about, by virtue of having Jess, our girl in the team, which means that we could actually win the trophy."

Jess explained: "I didn't really (plan to race with the team), I kind of got drafted because they needed me!

"I'd not done much, just cycling with my parents and my family around villages between Malton and Pickering."

Alex, who won the time trial, added: "I learned to ride a bike when I was three.

"I've cycled pretty much every day, mainly mountain biking with my friends."

Gwillam added: "We're a sports college so sport is really, really important to us.

"This will be a fairly major boost to the school, when they get back they'll be boasting about it, winning another trophy."

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