BOLTON youngster Michael Nott could be the next Tim Henman after being chosen to play for Great Britain.

The 12-year-old Rivington and Blackrod School pupil has been playing tennis since he was six and is now proving that practice does make perfect.

Michael joined Bolton Arena's Rivington Tennis Academy when he started secondary school last September, which involves him attending the Middlebrook leisure centre three afternoons a week for tennis and general fitness coaching.

A carefully designed timetable ensures he does not miss out on normal academic subjects and the scheme paid off when Michael, from Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley, recently qualified for the under-12s Great Britain squad.

He flew to Holland on Saturday and will spend this week taking part in his first tournament as part of the Great Britain team.

Ann Devine, head of PE at Rivington and Blackrod, said: "Michael is fantastic. A lovely, unassuming lad who has his feet firmly on the ground. He is a brilliant player and very loyal to the school team as well as his outside achievements."

He was a member of the under 14s Rivington and Blackrod team who won the Derrick Hill Lancashire Schools competition."