MORE than 200 students from Townsend Church of England School in St Albans had a right old knees-up during a sponsored football juggling competition.

Each year group in the school had a separate keepy uppy competition throughout last week with a prize for the students who were able to keep the ball from hitting the ground for the longest time, using any part of their body except the hands and arms.

The overall winner was Year Ten pupil Robert McMillan, with a staggering 1,000 touches of the ball.

His attempt took well over ten minutes and was particularly hard for teacher Miss Howsley, who had to count the number of hits.

The event was arranged by the schools head of PE Mr Giles Rickett.

He said: "We had a fantastic week and all the students have supported the event either by taking part or sponsoring their friends and cheering them on.

"Friday lunchtime's competition was particularly hard as we had just watched England go out of the World Cup and to begin with the mood was a bit sombre.

"But the kids soon got into the competition and livened up.

"There were quite a few England shirts on display and one brave lad even turned up in a Brazil top," said Mr Rickett.

As well as the keepy uppy tournament there was also a beat the goalie/teacher competition and a three-a-side scorpion football tournament inspired by the recent advert and a school trip to Nike Park at the Millennium Dome on June 11.

Mr Rickett said: "Students were surprised by the quality of goalkeeping from some of the teachers.

"I even heard one cheeky student say maths teacher Mrs Mayne should have been in goal on Friday instead of David Seaman."

The school hopes to raise more than £1,000 for Sport Relief, a national fundraising event to help impoverished young people in the UK and abroad which will be televised on BBC1 on July 13.

June 26, 2002 15:30