BASINGSTOKE figure skater Ava Mae Wilson, has just qualified for the British National Development Squad at the age of nine years old.

She was selected after reaching the National Ice Skating Association’s strict age and skills criteria.

This included attaining a high level technical score in a national competition and successfully demonstrating that she was competent in a number of difficult double jumps.

Wilson will get to attend her first intensive training camp later this month in Sheffield.

There she will work alongside Britain’s top figure skating talents.

Her hope for the future is to represent Great Britain at an international level.

The nine-year-old is coached by Jenny Woolford and supported by Sherfield School, has skated since the age of three and currently trains for 20 hours each week at the Planet Ice's Basingstoke Arena.

She is looking forward to a great new competition season and is hoping to qualify for the British Championships which is taking place at the end of November.

Just before Christmas, Wilson teamed up with the Basingstoke Ice Skating Club for its annual winter gala to support Macmillan Cancer Support after the nine-year-old’s ‘Nanny Edd’ died due to cancer.