A YOUNG Durham karting racer overcame serious illness and three months of shielding in the first lockdown to win a major North-East championship - and now he has set his sights on more silverware with the second national lockdown having come to an end.

Jack Thompson, 11, from Bowburn, Durham, suffers from cystic fibrosis and was forced to shield for three months in March, and temporarily but agonisingly abandon his passion for racing. Ordinarily, he would spend every weekend in competitions at different tracks across the region.

After keeping fit with Joe Wicks at home (and the occasional PlayStation driving game), on his release from the house, Jack was given personal training by the Martin Gray Football Academy before returning to the track at Karting North-East to perfect his racing lines and improve his lap times.

And on his return to competition, with mum Rachel, dad Steven and sister Beth among the few spectators, Jack won the 160 Cadet Championship in the Teesside sprint series at Redcar.

Although the second lockdown was another bitter blow to Jack, and his fellow competitors, the tenacious teenager has been prepared for the long hours in confinement this time.

And he will be ready to return to the race season as he keeps on top of his studies at Belmont Comprehensive School and hones his track skills in his spare time.

Jack was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was born and, like millions of sufferers, has benefitted from the incredible advances in treatment of the disease which attacks the lungs and digestive system.

Keeping fit and active remains an essential part of fighting the disease and, as seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will testify, racing karts and cars is physically, as well as mentally demanding.

Jack’s mum, Rachel, said: “Cystic fibrosis attacks the lungs and digestive system so understandably keeping Jack safe has been our biggest challenge of 2020.

“When you have cystic fibrosis, staying fit is a great way to keep the lungs healthy and to stay well, and prior to the pandemic Jack’s medical team told us they were convinced his continued good health had been helped enormously by his karting.

“So that three months without getting out of the house was a real worry for us because of his health and general well-being.

“Being forced to shield because of his condition, when he has never let him affect him for one second, was really hard. On the day he was allowed out, he was up and ready to go the track by six o’clock and we were all still in bed!

“With the support of our 2020 sponsors AG Autoserve Hall Construction and Martin Gray Football Academy, he crammed in as much testing and racing as possible and returned to winning ways.

“Despite not being able to compete in the last two rounds of the championship due to his illness, he finished first in the 160 championship.

“With a full racing calendar for 2021 ahead, the second lockdown was a big upset for Jack. He was devastated, but everyone is in the same boat. He has kept busy with more home fitness, and even visually memorising the tracks and race lines he hopes we can travel to next year.”