Matthew Walker from West Felton has won a World Championship title in downhill mountain bike racing.

He took the title of Junior Men’s World Championships in downhill racing recently after flying to Cairns in Australia to compete.

Matthew said: “The team went out a week before to get used to the climate change and we had a few days free time to go snorkeling and visit tourist attractions, and then we had three days practice.

“The track was quite varied, the top section was tight and awkward with a rock in the middle and then further down through the trees the track was fast but the soil was very dry and dusty so it was crumbling beneath the riders as they went through. Cairns had had no rain for two months so it was very dry and after three days of practice the track was battered and there was no grip.”

At just 18-years-old Matthew has travelled around the world competing in downhill mountain bike racing.

“I had my first race when I was 12. My dad was riding cross country on hills and I’d be on my BMX bike building jumps and going out with my friends and then one day I went with dad and I enjoyed it. I watched my first race at Maesbury near Oswestry and from then on I just thought ‘wow’ – I want to race bikes.”

Matthew has just one race left before the racing season finishes. He is racing next month in Andorra in Spain and then will not compete again until April.