Identical twins’ remarkable 1-2

Identical twins Alesha and Lily Atkinson finished first and second at the West Yorkshire Schools cross country championships.

SPECTATORS at the finish of the Year Three race at the recent West Yorkshire Schools Cross Country finals must have thought they had double vision as identical twins Alesha and Lily Atkinson flashed across the winning line in first and second places.

It was a remarkable double for the eight-year-olds at the head of a 170-strong field at Temple Newsam, Leeds and left parents Nichola and Peter bursting with pride.

Alesha and Lily were representing Salterhebble J & I School, Halifax, who Nichola said had been very supportive of the girls’ efforts.

Hopes had been high for them after they had also won the gold and silver medals in the Calderdale finals in late January.

The Atkinson family lives at Backhold Drive, Siddal and the girls joined Halifax Harriers in January this year.