PIPERS from TS Penn retained their national team championship title having gained gold and silver awards at the Sea Cadets National Piping Competitionheld at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall.

The team of Leading Cadet Richard Samuel, Able Cadet Taryn Ingleheart and Able Cadet Megan O'Donovan beat teams from all over the UK toretain the team trophy for the third consecutive year.

TS Penn officer-in-charge Bob Featherstone said: "A great deal of the success is due to CPO Louise Dench, who over the years has trained a number of cadets to reach the highest level in this discipline and continues to show her dedication intraining the young pipers."

In addition to the team trophy, LC Richard Samuel piped his way to the gold medal in the individual piping competition and AC Ingleheart achieved an individual silver medal in only her second national event in this discipline which is the naval method of passing orders and information using a boatswain's call and its use can be traced back to the Crusades in 1248. The TS Penn cadets were part of the South West Area team who took part in armed guard drill, unarmed guard drill, piping, colour party drill and marine corps drill. Of the 15 trophies available, the south west gained 12, three of which came to Portland.