A YOUNG car designer of the future has won the Southampton Audi Young Designer of the Year title.

Nicholas Thompson, of Campion Close, Warsash, received the accolade after submitting his A-level design project for the competition.

Although the 18-year-old former Peter Symonds College pupil just missed out on winning the national title he was still treated to a four-day all expenses paid visit to Audi's hi-tech car plant in Germany.

"It was fantastic," he said. "It was everything anyone who is interested in designing could have hoped for."

Judges highly commended Nicholas' dan-buoy design which is a self-inflating personal buoy used when someone has fallen overboard to mark their position.

Although passionate about design Nicholas has decided to keep the pastime as a hobby and will this month start studying for a geography degree.