Ryan Tebbs has been tipped for a successful future in motor sport after catching the eye during his first season in go-karting.

The nine-year-old races in meetings all around the country and proud father, Roland, is his biggest fan.

"He seems to be progressing quite quickly," said Roland - and the Yarm youngster only began racing in February.

"It's his first season now, he's started to win events and he's being getting noticed by people but we weren't expecting that for another year yet.

"A lot of people have picked up on him. A man called Dave Roland, whose son is in the top three of four of the country, came and gave us some advice recently because he says Ryan has got immense potential.

"Last year's Formula 3000 World champion, which was Justin Wilson, was coached by Steve Ogden and he's now teaching Ryan.

"Steve thinks Ryan has potential and says it all depends on how much Ryan wants to do it."

Two weeks ago Ryan competed in the prestigious TV Kartmasters where he again impressed as he raced against some of the country's top go-karters.

Roland explained: "There was the top 50 in the country there, another four were invited and Ryan was one of the invited ones.

"In the first heat of qualifying he was lapping only four tenths slower than the leader but then he was shunted off.

"In the next race he did well and then in the last race he actually led for six laps but then got passed, dropped down to ninth and then finished fifth so that showed he wasn't overwhelmed at all."

As well as a natural talent, Ryan has also demonstrated a competitive streak as he fther explained: "The other week he was lying second after three laps and for the next nine laps he was either in the lead or second again. He spun off on the last lap when going for the lead and when I asked him why he'd done it he said: 'I could have finished second, but second place is for losers and I'd rather try and win'.