TEENAGE climber Tom Bolger took the junior title in the first round The North Face Bouldering Challenge at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmngham recently.

Tom, a pupil at Oakbank School, completed six 'problems' -or climbs - in just six minutes on a huge artificial indoor climbing wall to secure victory.

He has dominated the world of junior climbing in the UK in recent years and has shown he intends to maintain his lead.

He was crowned British Indoor Climbing Champion in 2003 at just 16 years of age and last year also won a round of the European Youth Cup taking second place overall.

Tom has been British Bouldering Champion and was placed 10th in the World Indoor Climbing Championships. He has also has been British Regional Youth Champion for two years running.

The Keighley-based youngster continues to show amazing promise and back it up with the results to match. His ultimate goal is to be World Indoor Climbing Champion.

The Birmingham competition, sponsored by outdoor gear specialists North Face, was a highlight of the Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show which attracted more than 50,000 visitors.

Capacity crowds packed into the climbing 'theatres' for the competitions which also included the opening round of the 2004 Bouldering World cup which attracted top climbers from over 14 countries.

"Tom's performance was absolutely breathtaking. He wowed the audience was some fantastic climbing," said an event organiser.

Tom is now preparing for the World Championships which are to be held at the Ratho Adventure Centre in Edinburgh - a huge roofed-in quarry - later in the year.