A YOUNG racer from Tiverton represented Great Britain at the BMX world championships in Rotterdam yesterday.

Taylor Sampson, who is just eight and started riding at the age of four, competed in the nine-year-old category having qualifying through the British Cycling ranking system in 2013.

He put up a brave showing, with two fifth-place and one sixth place finish in his qualifying heats, but failed to qualify for the next round.

Taylor, a pupil at Wilcombe Primary School is a member of Tiverton BMX club and rides for local South-West team ‘BMX Revolution’.

Taylor races both regionally and nationally and is supported in his BMX pursuits by the Tiverton Recreational Trust.

Last Saturday Tiverton BMX Club hosted an event in collaboration with the British Cycling Association to celebrate the Tour de France.

Youngsters aged up to 16 were given BMX training by Steve and Sam Leggett before being invited to race.

The event was very well supported with club members being supplemented by youngsters from across Devon and Somerset.

The event aimed to involve children who had never raced before while also supporting those more capable riders in developing their skills.

A club spokeswoman said: “Tiverton BMX Club aims to open the sport up to the wider community, offering children who cannot necessarily afford the equipment the chance to borrow everything they need for the night.

“It is an inclusive club giving everyone the chance to develop riding skills, keep fit, make friends and develop self-confidence and self-discipline.”