Eastern Daily Press Active Norfolk Sports Awards winners

They went home with the Team of the Year and Active Norfolk Winner of Winners trophies following their stunning success in this year's national Twenty20 Cockspur Cup.

More than 900 teams from England and Wales entered this year's competition, culminating in the Sky Sports-televised final at Hampshire's international Rose Bowl ground which pitted Swardeston against a very strong South Northumberland side.

The make-up of the Norfolk side was also very pleasing as seven of the 11 players have come through the club's vibrant youth structure.

Judges unanimously agreed on the outcome of both awards, the Winner of Winners being chosen from all 21 finalists. Swardeston saw off the challenge of FA Vase runners-up Wroxham Football Club and the Norfolk Ski Race team to win the Team of the Year award.

Norwich City goalkeeping legend Bryan Gunn was presenter for the evening, which was hosted by BBC journalist Shaun Peel. They handed out awards to winners and runners-up at the Curve facility in The Forum, in Norwich.

Active Norfolk chairman Laurie Hull welcomed guests and said: 'This evening is a celebration of skill, talent, determination, commitment and sporting success. This is somewhat at odds with the rather sombre times in which we live with spending reviews and cuts.

'We have just heard about the cuts to school sport, we have lost the Department of Health grant, Sport England is facing serious cuts, the local authorities are being squeezed and I am sure there is more to come. But it is not all bad news.

'There will be an increase in the Lottery Funding of sport, your county sports partnership has received confirmed funding to 2015, we have more coaches in Norfolk than ever before.'

Sports Personality of the Year

Winner: Mervyn King – won the Premier League and the Australian Open Pairs Championship as well as clinching a silver medal in the pairs competition at the Commonwealth Games. The Fakenham Gallow player also won his 50th England cap in 2010.

Runners-up: Colin Oates (judo), Chrissie Wellington (ironman).

Young Sports Personality

Winner: Pippa Horn – at the age of 14 became the youngest winner of the 102-year-old Junior National Tennis Championships in August. The competition for under-18s has recently been won by the likes of Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong and previously by Anne Jones, Jo Durie and Sue Barker. And this feat was made even more remarkable as Pippa had suffered a stress fracture in her back the previous year.

Runners-up: Sophie McKinna (shot put), Victoria Williamson (cycling)

Team of the Year

Winner: Swardeston Cricket Club – won the Twenty20 national Cockspur Cup which attracted more than 900 teams from around England and Wales. Swardeston beat South Northumberland in the final in a match shown live on Sky Sports.

Runners-up: Norfolk Ski Race team, Wroxham Football Club

Coach of the Year

Winner: Jon Dennis – has given up his spare time to set up a boxing club in Attleborough. In a little over a year, the club has doubled in size.

Runners-up: Rachael Goldson (tennis), Mike Utting (athletics)

Keith Peel Services to Sport

Winners: Michael and Robin Trivett – the twin brothers have given a combined 100 years' service to Happisburgh Cricket Club. They are vice-presidents and still play regularly. Michael is groundsman and Robin, until the spring of this year, was club treasurer.

Runners-up: Kelly Barkway (rowing), Sheila George (hockey).

Inspirational Sports Person

Winner: Darren Cann – assistant referee who officiated in the final of the Champions League before going on to run the line in the World Cup final in South Africa.

Runners-up: Ena Mallett, Victoria Watson (both martial arts)

Sports School of the Year

Winner: Mundesley Junior – an impressive 89pc of children attend extra-curricular sports clubs and one fifth have represented the school at county or East of England level.

Runners-up: Alderman Peel High, Taverham High

n For more photos from the awards night see tomorrow's Eastern Daily Press.