A PRUDHOE schoolboy has been named number one in the North-East for karting.

Ethan Head (13) is the North East Ikr Champion 2021 and took second place at the North West Ikr championship in his first ever season racing at this level.

The Prudhoe Community High School pupil first took to the indoor rental track in September 2017 with dad, Michael Head, of Serenity Bathrooms of Prudhoe, and a friend.

He was soon invited to join an academy after impressing with his fast times, before progressing to his now home track of Warden Law, Houghton Le Spring.

The talented youngster, who took home eleven trophies last year, rose quickly through the ranks and was scouted to race for Hunter Motorsport where he is coached by an ex European number 2 and British champion Rhys Hunter - team principal - an ex British champion and an ex Irish champion.

He will now go on to the Ultimate Karting Champions (UKC) - where the best drivers from Lands End to John O'Groats compete in up to seven races. In a preliminary event for the UKC, Ethan placed second.

"He's the quietest, gentlest soul known to man off the track and then he's a different person all together on the track" said proud dad Michael. "He's absolutely consumed and focused on what he's doing.

"He's so grateful, he's so polite, so humble. But I wouldn't want to race him! He just lives and breathes it and he loves it. All he wants to do is be in the kart.

"If he does this season very very well, hopefully, next year, he goes into British - that's the best of the best. It would be at that stage other teams start noticing him. But as long as he's happy and as long as he's safe, who knows!

"He doesn't get up in the morning and think he's going to be the next Lewis Hamilton, but we've all got dreams! You want to push yourself. If something happens, it's a bonus but as along as he enjoys the journey."