DANESFIELD Middle School duo Gabrielle Reynolds and Jospeh Kennedy (pictured) will be sorting their tortillas from their tortugas today (Friday) after clinching a place in the final of a national spelling competition.

The year seven pupils beat off fierce competition to take part in the final of the Foreign Language Spelling Bee at Anglia Ruskin University's Cambridge campus.

They will be challenged to spell the most number of words in Spanish in just 60 seconds.

In all, 100 of the UK's most talented young linguists will be battling it out in French and German spelling contests, as well as in Spanish.

The competition, which is sponsored by the European Commission and run by Routes into Languages, saw 52,423 youngsters from 375 schools across the country compete for a place in the finals.

Gabrielle and Joseph had to win class, school and regional heats to secure their place in the grand final.

The pair have been given 200 words to memorise in Spanish in preparation for today's event.

Project manager Sarah Schechter, of Anglia Ruskin, said: "The competition really helps to raise language standards and gives pupils a great foundation of vocabulary knowledge in their first year of secondary school.

"Studies have shown that being able to speak a foreign language has many other benefits, including improving memory, multitasking and decision-making skills.

"Therefore the skills these youngsters have shown in reaching the final should prove very useful in other subjects as well."

John Evans, language officer at the European Commission, added: "The Spelling Bee is a fantastic way of nurturing an enthusiasm for foreign languages among thousands of pupils and the hours that they have put into learning vocabulary provides a very solid foundation for future language studies."

Prizes will be presented at the final by the Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Paul Saunders, and Cambridge MP Julian Huppert.

Photo: Steve Guscott