A YOUNG diver is hoping to double pike his way to glory at the English Schools Diving Championships.

Balgowan School pupil Andrew Gray, who is nine and from Beckenham, will perform a total of six dives in the junior section of the National finals being held in Manchester's Aquatic Centre on Saturday week.

Andrew, who has been diving three times a week at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace for the past 18 months, is coached by Jill Snode, wife of diver Chris Snode, who has competed for his country in the past.

Young Andrew qualified for the final when he won his category at the Kent and Surrey Champion-ships, held at the end of last month.

There he performed a total of four dives off boards ranging from one to five metres in height.

Andrew is something of an all-round athlete as well being as a diving enthusiast, he is also a keen gymnast.

Indeed, his training sessions with the Bromley Valley Gym Club takes his weekly sporting output to close to 20 hours.

Accompanying him to Manchester will be mum Jacqueline, a 43-year-old library assistant, and dad Vincent, a 45-year-old auctioneers assistant.

Mrs Gray said: "Andrew's gymnastics has helped his diving, and vice-versa, as they're quite similar sports.

"We're quietly confident he will do well at the National diving finals, as he's been practising really hard in the run-up to the event.

"But whatever he does on the day, we'll still be really proud of how much he's achieved just by reaching the final.

"The whole experience will be a really useful learning curve for him, although I don't think he'll be staying in the team hotel. He's still only young, so he'll probably be staying with his mum and dad."