YOUNG Bill Bickley could be a world champion one day if he gets his skates on.

The seven-year-old Eldene Primary School pupil has rolled his way into the Great Britain Artistic Roller Skating training squad for this year after a set of impressive championship results.

Bill has been skating for 18 months with Downlands Artistic Skating Club, after being spotted by skating coach David Bullock at a roller disco event.

He now trains for 13 hours a week with other youngsters aged between five and nine, and competed in his first British Championships last year in which he was placed third overall.

That result has earned him a place in the Great Britain team, and according to his coach, he has what it takes to become a world champion one day.

Mr Bullock, 74, said: “I have been doing this for 40 years and he is the most promising boy I have had at the club.

“If he works hard enough and gets the support needed I think he has what it takes to be a world champion.

“He is quick to learn and he has no fear so he will try anything.”

Bill’s mum, Julia, decided to take him and his younger brother Tom, along to roller skating as a way of releasing excess energy and has been surprised with how quickly he has picked up the sport.

“He likes anything with wheels so I decided to take him along to the roller disco where David saw something in him and now he has been doing it for a year and a half,” she said.

“He absolutely loves it, and he loves David – he is like a second grandad to him, I suppose. We are really proud of his success, it takes a lot of hard work and is expensive but he enjoys it.”

Bill said he was excited to be representing his country this year.

“I really enjoy skating and I am very proud and excited to be part of the Great Britain Squad,” he said.

“All my friends at school think it is cool that I do this and like how fast I can go. My favourite thing is the speed I can go.”

Bill and his family are now looking for sponsors to help with the costs of going to championships in Europe. Anyone interested in getting involved in roller skating can visit downlandsartistic.

com.