Tennis opportunities at Norton College are officially the best in any school in the country.

The small North Yorkshire school, which has less than 700 pupils, has been voted the Lawn Tennis Association's Tennis School of the Year.

Innovations such as being a pilot centre for Raw tennis, running highly popular competitions both within school and against outside opposition, and creating strong links with Malton Tennis Club, were enough to sway the minds of the general public after being short-listed alongside two other schools.

Head of PE Jonathan Newton, the man behind the advancement, said: "I feel enormous pride, both from a personal point of view and also for the school as well. It's one of the biggest accolades I have achieved.

"We won the district and county titles along the way but to be voted number one in the country and the LTA giving us recognition is an incredible thing.

"They're not saying that we necessarily have the best players in the country, but they are saying that what we are doing is exactly what they want us to do - and they felt that we were the best.

"It's a major achievement for such a small school - and to be honest, I never thought we had much of a chance, but all the students and those connected with the school have worked so hard to spread the word and people have voted."

Newton will collect the prize at a glitzy awards ceremony on the middle Saturday of Wimbledon alongside the winners of other awards from coach of the year to club of the year.

But he said that the achievement will not be seen as an excuse to stand still.

Other plans include a training course to set him up to coach a tennis leaders' qualification for young people to give something back to the community through the sport.

Updated: 10:44 Wednesday, May 24, 2006