BRILLIANT pupils from a Milngavie school have debated their way to international success. 

S5 and S6 students from Douglas Academy have been crowned champs at the inaugural GB-India Debating Matters Competition.

The success adds to the school's debate teams' impressive record.

They have won the Scotland and Northern Ireland finals each year from
2013-2016 and reached the UK semi-finals three times. 

Raj Bhaumik, Eoghan Connolly, Maeve Connolly, Imogen Milling, Tom Milling and Adam Nicolson helped secure victory at the international event.

The virtual Debating Matters saw the teams focus on topics such as compulsory childhood vaccinations, populist threats to democracy and restricting families to two children.

Headteacher Barry Smedley said, "We are very proud of this team, rising to the challenges of this very demanding contest which is widely regarded as one of the toughest debating competitions.

"They all performed brilliantly, working together as a team and it was an added bonus that Maeve Connolly was awarded the competition's best individual speaker award with Tom Milling being highly commended."