St Margaret’s has plenty to cheer about!

Megan Meakin (centre) leads the way for the winning team from St Margaret’s, Hollinwood

OLDHAM’S top young cheerleaders gathered to battle it out in a contest to find the best to perform on the pitch at Boundary Park this weekend.

Youngsters from St Margaret’s School, Hollinwood, took the crown in the annual contest, and will show off their skills during Saturday’s Oldham Athletic v Gillingham match.

The Street Cheer contest is now in it’s second year, and St Margaret’s took the title from St Mary’s, Failsworth.

Second place went to the Crompton Crew, from Crompton Primary School, and third to Diggle Primary School.

A special spirit award went to the Fitton Hill Crew, a joint team from St Martin’s and Medlock schools.

Run by Oldham Athletic Community Trust for schools throughout the borough, it produced some fierce competition between the teams.

The initiative has brought cheerleading to 14 new schools during the year, and involved a total of 760 new pupils.

Coach Wendy Noble said: “Street Cheer has been successful since we started, and we are now working in more schools and with some community groups, which is enabling us to develop the activity to the next level in Oldham.”