YOUNG footballer Tom Jackson is sharpening his skills in a bid to follow in the glittering footsteps of David Beckham.

Tom, 12, from Stillingfleet,

was today spending the day at Manchester United's Cliff Training Ground after having won a skills competition organised by the Premiership giants.

In a series of drills and skills tests, Tom beat off competition from around 100 youngsters aged between eight and 16 at the soccer school staged in Selby.

He travelled across the Pennines today to go join other soccer school winners from across the country in the Manchester United World Skills Final.

After being put through their paces this morning at the Cliff, all the competitors got tickets to see United play Southampton at Old Trafford this afternoon.

Each age-group winner was presented to the Old Trafford crowd at half-time.

Each of the age-group winners also get a week in residence at a United soccer school.

Tom, who plays on the left wing for Fulford Under-12s and is a pupil at Fulford School, will be hoping to follow in the steps of England captain Beckham.

Beckham first sprung to prominence as a schoolboy after winning a similar skills competition organised by England hero Bobby Charlton.

Updated: 10:59 Saturday, December 22, 2001