WIVENHOE brothers Elliot and Edward Appleby both scooped bronze medals at this year's British Figure Skating Championships, in Sheffield.

The Colne Community School students both achieved podium places in the National Ice Skating Association (NISA) event.

The competition saw a huge turnout of competitors from across the UK take part, over a six-day period.

Elliot was lying in second place after the Advanced Novice Men short programme event.

He was placed third in the free programme event with the second highest Programme Components Score in the free, to take bronze overall.

Edward took part in his first British Championships at Junior level despite him being too young, at 12 years old, to represent his country at this level in international events, a measure of his achievement in qualifying at this level.

He claimed a new personal best (PB) in the Short Programme event and with a solid third placing, more than 12 points clear of the fourth-placed skater.

In the free programme the following day, Ed placed third and advanced his lead on the fourth-placed skater with a score of over 15 points above their score.

That helped him secure a bronze placing in his very first Championships, at Junior level.

Ed was the youngest competitor in the Junior Men category.

The Appleby siblings, who are both Sports Ambassadors for Chelmsford City Council, are indebted to their Ice Professionals, John Wicker and Jane Faux and to the many others involved in their on/off-ice training, on a routine or ad-hoc basis, including Lulu Alexandra, Dr. Diana Entwistle and Mark Allison.

Ed, who has been selected as a NISA Young Rising Star, is also grateful to Loveiceksating (Chelmsford) for their partial sponsorship.

The support of The Colne Community School has also been invaluable in assisting the pair to excel in their extra-curricular sport of singles figure skating.