ONE OF the country's longest-running school sport competitions has celebrated its 60th anniversary in Blackburn.

Footballers from St Mary's College in Shear Brow took on their counterparts from St Mary's College, Middlesbrough, in a bid to win the Thorpe Cup.

Donated by Clifford Thorpe from Hull in 1947, three colleges originally run by Marist fathers, an international Catholic branch, in Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Hull, battled it out every year to claim the trophy.

St Mary's College, Hull, dropped out of the competition more than 25 years ago but the tradition has been going strong between the other two since.

Last week, Blackburn's players were delighted to be able to keep the cup in Lancashire, where it has been for several years after two legs.

Blackburn won 6-1 in Middlesbrough and lost 3-2 at home. But Middlesbrough would have had to win both games to claim the trophy back.

Seven members of the Thorpe family were invited to the event, and Peter and Mick Thorpe, Clifford's sons, presented the winning team with the trophy after a celebration meal attended by 150 guests, including past and present staff and students.

Among the special guests was Father Tom Goonan, a former Blackburn student and teacher who played in the very first Thorpe Cup in 1947.

College principal Kevin McMahon said: "The Thorpe Cup is the highlight of our sporting year.

"We believe it to be the oldest surviving sporting competition in state-funded education and we're very proud of its long and distinguished heritage.

"It was delightful to welcome back former students and colleagues, as well as members of the Thorpe family, to whom the tradition has meant so much.

"It really brought home to today's students that they are part of a community with a proud history and are playing their own part in protecting it.

"We are committed to keeping up the tradition."

Blackburn also claimed victory in the McCormick Shield, which takes place between the colleges' netball and hockey teams and dates back more than 20 years.