A PUPIL from Great Sankey High School grabbed fourth place out of 94 in the biggest grassroots eventing competition of the year.

Emma Lawton, aged 16, who had only taken up the sport a year ago, was one of the youngest competitors in the Badminton Mitsubishi Motors Grassroots Championship.

Dawn Lawton, Emma’s mum, said: “We all knew she could do well but we never in a million years thought she could get in the top 10 so fourth place is incredible and shows what potential she has.”

The competition - an event for amateurs running alongside the professional competition - combines dressage with show jumping and cross country and was held over two days.

Emma qualified with her eight-year-old horse Redinagh Clover at Kelshall Hill, coming first over a one-day event in April.