YWCA Bury's under-19s team won seven straight matches to be crowned national champions.

Coach Rachel Henry's side overcame teams boasting Superleague and national youth-team players to win the England Netball 16-19 Open Championships at EIS Sheffield.

The competition included two rounds of group stages to qualify for the final, with matches eight minutes each way.

They beat AP Saints (18-9) and Northants Storm (17-11) comfortably in the opening round before winning 13-10 against The Downs, who joined YWCA Bury in qualifying.

Bury stepped up their game to another level in the second round, with a 21-4 victory over Nottingham and 20-8 win against Chevrons.

They also beat the reigning champions, Clan 14-10 to set up a final against first-round opponents The Downs.

The two sides could not be separated after a tight first half, which finished 5-5, but some match-winning interceptions after the break helped Bury get their noses in front and they held on to win 10-9.

Henry, who is a former England international and also played for Manchester Thunder and Loughborough Lightning, said: “The club is extremely proud of the effort of every single player on the day who contributed to a well-deserved victory.”

Squad: Nastassja Kurpas (captain), Imogen Tuner (vice-captain), Elia McCormick, Chloe Addis, Jasmine Johnson, Olivia Bailey, Brenna McPartlan, Nell Clerkin, Alicia Scholes, Megan Burns, Lois Pearson and Millie Roscoe.