Claire Morris has been crowned the Under Ten British chess champion - but still can't find a way to beat her own brother.

Together, ten-year-old Claire and brother Graham, 11, have won a staggering 30 chess trophies between them -and both can beat their mum, despite the fact she teaches children how to play the game in her spare time.

The Abingdon family's latest chess success came when Claire won the under-ten section of the Smith & Williamson British Chess Championship in Torquay.

At the same time, Graham decided to enter the under-12 competition because he felt his own age group could not offer strong enough competition.

Both children were taught the noble art by their mum, Priscilla, when they were about seven.

Mrs Morris, of St Amand Drive, Abingdon, who teaches chess to youngsters at Caldecott School, where Claire is a pupil, got them hooked when the famous Short-Kasparov grudge match was televised in 1993. She said: "At first, I could thrash them quite easily. Now, I'm afraid, they beat me."

All three are members of the Cowley Chess Club in Oxford, which also boasts Claire's hero, world under-20s champion Helen Hunt, among its members.

However, Mrs Morris is disappointed that there isn't a single chess club within their home town.

She said: "Abingdon is a big enough town to support at least one chess club of its own but there doesn't seem to be the interest.

"I think that's also a problem with chess generally. There was virtually no coverage of the British Chess Championships, and that was despite the fact that the likes of Nigel Short were playing."

The famous chess player was also among the audience which gave Claire a big round of applause when she received her trophy.

Anyone interested in starting a chess club in Abingdon should call 01235 524064.

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