ABOUT 300 youngsters have taken part in an orienteering competition which has returned after being postponed for two years.

The Scottish Schools Festival of Orienteering took place in the grounds of Scone Palace, near Perth.

Courses were set to suit ages and abilities, with those for primary pupils following paths through the woods for about one to two kilometres.

The courses lengthened and became more difficult for each year group, up to 4km for the senior pupils, and the controls placed on smaller features away from the paths.

Thanks to the effort of East Lothian Outdoor Learning and East Lothian Active Schools, a team of nearly 30 pupils from East Lothian travelled to the event.

While participation is the main aim of the event, competing hard is also important and the youngsters from East Lothian did so very successfully.

Three first places and a second place were achieved by individuals and a team third place was also recorded.

The individual medallists were Jonah Henderson, first in P7 boys from Longniddry Primary School; Calum Robertson, first in S2 boys for Preston Lodge High School; Emily Atkinson, first in S2 girls for Ross High School; and Emily Fairfull, second in P7 girls from Longniddry Primary School.

Also doing well were Melody Goodluck and Connie Robinson with a fourth place in P5/6 girls for Windygoul Primary School; fifth places for Lorna and Rosemary Morrison, P7 girls, Windygoul Primary School; Thomas O’Hara, S2 boys, Preston Lodge High School; Joel Atkinson, S4 boys, Ross High School; and a sixth place for Ben Davidson-Ellis, P5/6 Innerwick.

Other schools represented were East Linton Primary School and Haddington Primary School.

Windygoul Primary School sent along the biggest group and their P7 girls took third place in the team competitions with, in addition to Lorna and Rosemary in fifth place, Anabelle Paterson in sixth and Julia Janeczek and Nicole Dickson in ninth.