THE University of Manchester has triumphed in the latest University Challenge.

They become only the second team to retain their status as champions in its 51 year history.

This is probably the sweetest of all Manchester's victories,

The team beat University College London (UCL) in the final 190-140 to claim its fourth title in eight years. This means Manchester also equals the record of Magdalen College, Oxford.

Team captain Richard Gilbert, a linguistics student, said the success was down to "the perfect broad range of knowledge across the team".

President and Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said: "There is a real buzz around the campus today, having seen our team win University Challenge yet again.

"We are going to hold a celebration dinner for the team in June and I am particularly pleased for their coach Stephen Pearson who deserves great credit for these four victories in just eight years."

The three-man, one-woman team beat UCL by 190 to 140 in the final, broadcast on BBC2 on Monday night.

The three-man, one-woman team beat University College London (UCL) by 190 to 140 in the final, broadcast on BBC2 on Monday night.

At one point during the present competition Manchester risked being the lowest scoring team ever against Lincoln College, Oxford, but they rallied to win the game.

The ups and downs of the present competition is what's made it particularly sweet for coach, the university librarian, Stephen Pearson.

"This is probably the sweetest of all Manchester's victories," he said speaking to The Guardian.

"As soon as I'd put the team together, I thought their breadth of knowledge and speed on the buzzer meant they were good enough to go all the way. Mind you, my faith in them wavered when they were 75 points behind with only three and a half minutes to go in their first-round match.

"But their thrilling comeback to win that match in the last second was the first indication that they had the potential to achieve something special."

Given the programme has been filmed in Manchester since its creation the record number of victories seems wholly appropriate.