A COUNTY surfing starlet is preparing to represent Scotland at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in the Azores.

Elliot Young, a first year pupil at Dunbar Grammar School, was a last minute call up to the squad after another team member became ineligible.

Now, he is preparing for the competition, which runs between September 17-25.

His dad, Brian, told Courier Sport: "We got an email from The Scottish Surfing Federation asking Elliot to take part on the back of a team member becoming too old during the competition to surf in the U16 section, so Elliot was called up as next option due to the position he finished in the U16 section of the Scottish National Championships."

The 12-year-old is "very excited and very scared" about taking part in the competition, where he will compete against the top youngsters from across the world.

Brian, who will make the trip with his son told Courier Sport last week: "We have been numb since we found out Elliot was going.

"We are just so proud of him and we're all really looking forward to it.

"Alison [Elliot's mum] is not going as she's in Chicago at a work conference and arrives back on the day the event starts."

Brian, of Temple Mains Steading in Innerwick, said he was "very proud" of his son.

They were set to depart for the Azores, off Portugal, on Wednesday, with a couple of days practice ahead of the event, which gets under way on Saturday.

To help fund the trip, Elliot has been given a grant of £500 from the David Armstrong Memorial Fund, while Anderson Masonry also handed over £500 to support the youngster.

Brian extended his thanks to them, and Dunbar Amateur Swimming Club, Dunbar Rotary Club, Torness Power Station and Freeze Pro Shop in Edinburgh for their support.

He said: "The support from the local community has been absolutely fantastic.

"I'd like to thank everyone for their support, it's been brilliant.

"Thanks, too, to Elliot's gran and papa, Bill and Isobel."