HEDGE End hero Nick Ball will be pulling on an England under-20 vest for the first time ever in an international match in Italy this weekend - at the tender age of 15.

In fact the Wildern Arts College student is already such an accomplished race walker that he will be rubbing shoulders with the big boys over five kilometres in next month's AAA senior championships.

Ball is very much a chip off the old block, having followed his father, Jim, and grandad, Cliff, into one of track and field's less celebrated events.

There is no one to touch him natinally at under-17 level and yesterday he took his first ever track 10k confidently in his stride, surviving punishing temperatures to clinch the under-20 men's title in 49.38.49.

The youngster said: "I've done three 10k's on the road before, but that was my first on the track and it was about a minute faster than my personal best."

His dad Jim, who has collected an amazing 46 Hampshire titles over various distances and coaches his talented, young son said: "Competing on the track is completely different with so many people watching you.

"Nick's much better than either I or my dad ever were in the same age-group."