IVYBRIDGE Community College's talented crop of gymnasts have tested themselves against top international acrobats in Bristol – and secured two fourth places.

Ten gymnastics academy members attended the King Edmunds Acrobatic Gymnastic International Friendly Competition, one of the biggest invitational events of the year.

Grade 2 women's pair Stacey LeGrice and Mollie Thompson were fourth, only 0.3 points away from a bronze medal.

Also close to the medals were Grade 2 mixed pairs Josh Jackson and his partner from Honiton Gymnastics Club, Charlotte Beviss, who also came fourth by 0.4 points. Josh and Charlotte were closely followed by fifth-place Tom Arnison Denning and Mollie Thompson from the Ivybridge Gymnastics Academy.

Also in the high-achieving positions at the competition – which boasted competitors from Russia, Holland, Switzerland and throughout the UK – were 11-16 women's groups Georgie Rule, Chloe Sneap and Katie Mailling, who were placed fifth, and Harriet Worden, Jess Arnison Denning and Megan Davidson, who came seventh.

Head coach of the gymnastics academy, Helen Reddy, said: 'The gymnasts competed excellently at the competition. It's the first of the year for them, and hopefully their confidence will grow further and spur them on to even greater things.  'The annual competition, hosted by King Edmund Acrobatic Gymnastics Club, is one of the most prestigious in the sport's calendar, and features competitors from all the UK's top clubs, plus many top performers from around the world. It serves as an excellent introduction and preparation for Ivybridge gymnasts, who are either preparing for regional preliminary competitions or the British Championships.'