A TEENAGER has boxed his way to success and landed a place in the European championships.

Ben Jackson, 13, who attends Tudhoe Grange Comprehensive School, has been a member of Spennymoor Boxing Club, in County Durham, since he was eight.

He won the European championships schoolboy box-off in Sheffield this week, where he competed against other boxers in the 12 to 14-year-old category from across the country.

He will attend an awards ceremony on board HMS Nelson, in Portsmouth, next month.

He said: "I really enjoy boxing and this is what makes me do so well at it.

"I am really pleased to have won and am looking forward to going to Portsmouth soon."

Gary Hodgson, Ben's trainer at Spennymoor Boxing Club, said: "I have been training Ben since he was nine years old he is like a son to me.

"It is unbelievable how well he has done. He has climbed the ladder of success so quickly. All he has left to compete in if he gets through the European competition is the Olympics.

"He works very hard and I am extremely proud of him."

Spennymoor Boxing Club is appealing to Sedgefield Borough Council to provide it with a larger venue so more members can attend.

Director of coaching Robert Ellis said: "Ben has a winning attitude and we are all very proud of him.

"Hopefully we can enlarge our club soon so more young people can follow in his footsteps.

"He is the first member from here to make it into the European championships so, hopefully, this will put us on the map."