HIGH-FLYING Easingwold School's football team have earned their stripes.

They have been given a new strip by RAF Linton-on-Ouse to reflect the increasingly close links between the camp and the school during 2003.

Kits were presented to first X1 captain Richard Carrick, who is currently a member of Sheffield United's Academy and Under-17 squads, by the air base's liaison officer Matt Clark.

Members of the RAF have visited the school on several occasions, working with year nine and year 11 students.

RAF Linton-on-Ouse have also held a careers fair at Easingwold School and received students on work experience placements at the camp.

Easingwold head teacher Carey Chadwick said: "The new strip is fantastic.

"We are very proud that our team will be going out looking so smart and it is an honour for them to be bearing the RAF logo."

Manor School shooter Samantha Colman played in all three matches for York Under-14s netball team as they won the first inter-area cluster matches against their district rivals at St Peter's School.

She was a member of the team that defeated Harrogate and Craven, Scarborough and Ryedale and Hambleton and Richmond, but her name was missing from the squad list supplied to the Evening Press when it was published last week.

Updated: 08:38 Wednesday, December 31, 2003