YOUNG Tobie Merricks will be jetting to Canada in February to represent England at the world junior ice hockey championships.

The Belbroughton 13-year-old will be playing in front of crowds of up to 18,000 during the two-week event in Quebec.

Tobie has to travel to Nottingham to play the sport and usually practises for 90 minutes a week.

The England team will be competing against boys who train four hours a day.

His mum, Sally, said: "It's a minority sport and it involves a lot of travelling because there are so few facilities in this country.

"Tobie has always wanted to play for England. He's been very focused on it and put in a lot of hard work."

He plays for the Nottingham Tiger Cubs on the right side of defence and was selected for the 19-strong national squad after four months of trials.

They have played three warm up games with the opposition including the Great Britain girls' under-16 team.

Tobie will be joined in Quebec by his mum and dad, Bob.

Sally said: "The players will be staying with Canadian families and we'll only really see Tobie at the games.

"Even if they get knocked out they will play loads of matches and he can't want to go."

Tobie, who attends Haybridge High School, in Hagley, has been playing ice hockey since he was eight.

One of his ambitions is to play the sport at an American college after finishing sixth form in this country.