Beverley and Colin Cooney knew their son Jimmy, pictured, was unusual as a toddler.

As a two-year-old his favourite television programme was Words and Numbers.

And his 41-year-old mum recalls how as he approached his third birthday on holiday he started reciting his 11 times table while sitting in his car seat.

She describes how she and Colin, 40, a production manager, were flabbergasted because nobody had ever taught him his tables

"We looked at each other and said when he gets to 12 times 11 he won't get any further - but he just carried on. He was almost three at the time.

"But it was only when he started school that we found out he was exceptional at number work."

And Jimmy, who is now seven and a pupil at Long Lee Primary school near Keighley, has continued his wizardry.

So much so that when he came to take his key stage 1 tests in May this year, his teachers entered him instead for the key stage two maths examination, entered by youngsters four years older than himself, and he achieved a level four pass, which is the pass mark for 11 -year-olds.

"We're very proud of him. He enjoys football and loves watching athletics but maths is his real love," said Beverley, a sewing machinist.

"He is always testing me. Every day he'll ask me something and before I can work it out he has the answer.

"Even on his computer he prefers the maths programme to anything else.

"And when his older sister Rebekah, who is eight, asks me a question, he likes to answer it. I have to tell him to let her do it on her own," said Beveley, of Long Lee Lane, Keighley.

Long Lee Primary head teacher Loiuse Smith said: "Jimmy is very unusual. We have been aware of his gifts over the last two years - ever since the end of year one.

"He is very good at manipulating problems and sees the patterns in numbers very quickly."

This year he had been given extra maths tuition at school but next year he would be joining pupils two years older then himself, she added.

And he is not daunted by the prospect of joining the bigger pupils.

"I just like number work very much - I like mental arithmetic.

"I'm better at numbers than mum and sometimes help my sister," said Jimmy, who has already set his sights on becoming a bank manager - so he can buy his mum and dad a car.