Charlotte Kerwood has helped restore England's sporting pride against Australia.

This country has been beaten by their traditional sporting rivals at cricket, tennis and football recently.

But the Commonwealth Games champion, 16, from Fletching, beat Aussie daughter and mother duo Susan and Dorothy Trindall when she finished 13th out of 26 in the women's double trap at the World Cup Series event in Perth.

The Warden Park, Cuckfield, schoolgirl said: "Expectations have risen so much since I won Commonwealth gold but it was only my second ever Series event and in the first I was 24th. So I made a big improvement.

"Although I didn't shoot that well, my performance has given me a bit of extra confidence because I showed I am able to compete at such a high level with my limited experience. I'm determined to keep it going."

"It was quite nice to finish in front of the Trindalls, I remember Susan from the Commonwealth Games."

Charlotte competes in her third Series event in Spain in June hoping to take an other step towards sealing an Olympic 2004 place.

She said: "If I had won in Perth I would have gained automatic selection for Athens but it was a lot to ask. I'm looking to do better in Spain. The Americans are the ones to beat."

American Kimberley Rose claimed the Perth title.