A WELLAND teenager is on the road to success after making the final of a national pre-17 driving competition.

Jake Cope, 13, has progressed in the Young Driver Challenge 2017 despite being four years away from taking to the road.

He entered the competition at the nearby Three Counties Showground where a highly-qualified driving instructor accessed his skills behind the wheel of a car.

Beating off competition from hundreds of entrants Cope will be among 40 finalists at the NEC on Saturday, September 30, to battle for the title of Great Britain’s best young driver with all aged under 17.

They will compete in two age categories 10-13 and 14-16 while being scored by judges on a variety of skills including positioning, judgement, steering and independent driving.

The teenagers will also be tested on manoeuvres including parallel parking, emergency stops and reversing into a parking bay.

Finalists will be in the running for prizes such as pre and post-17 driving lessons.

The competition encourages youngsters to value safe and responsible driving.

Young Driver, which runs the Challenge, offers driving lessons to 10 to 17 year olds with the aim of reducing the high accident rate for newly-qualified drivers.

Almost 1,300 17 to 24 year olds are killed or seriously injured in road accidents each year and one in five has an accident within just six months of passing their test.

Cope said: “I am surprised and shocked to have made the final of the challenge.

"I’ve only had a couple of lessons with the Young Driver team and I love being behind the wheel.

"It’s good fun but I also feel like it’s giving me lots of extra time for practice before I take to the road for real.

"Making the Challenge final this year is a great confidence boost. I just hope I can keep calm and remember everything I’ve learnt — and enjoy it!”

Laura White, head of marketing at Young Driver, said: “Congratulations to Jake!

"We look forward to seeing him at the final which is the highlight of our calendar.

"The skills these youngsters show behind the wheel is extraordinary.

"They really would put some of the drivers out there on the roads to shame!

“Our aim at Young Driver has always been to create a safer next generation of youngsters on the road.

"The accident rate for newly-qualified drivers is far, far too high and something needs to be done.

"Pre-17 driver education can have a huge impact. It helps young people get to grips with the basics behind the wheel in a relaxed environment, long before they have to face a busy high street at rush hour or an impatient driver.

"Our pupils take their learning very seriously and parents and our Challenge judges are always genuinely surprised at how quickly they learn and how responsibly the youngsters act behind the wheel, even at just 11 years old!”