A BUDDING hockey star from Wellington is brushing shoulders with the country's best after being called up to the England Under 18 squad.

Max Ansell earned himself a National Age Group Squad (N.A.G.S) trial after his performances at the Futures Cup tournament and has attended a number of training camps over the last few months.

His achievements saw him selected for the final 26 squad.

The 18-year-old, who attends Richard Huish College in Taunton, will now have the opportunity to represent his country against a number of international opponents, culminating in the four nation's tournament between England, Holland, Germany and Belgium, in the summer.

Harry Lee, sports development manager at Richard Huish, said: “We are all delighted for Max that his hard work has been rewarded with England selection.

“He is one of the very best hockey players we have had at the college and the combination of his phenomenal ability, attitude and leadership have been infectious on his team mates and a key factor in the teams successes this year.

“We wish Max and the team the very best for the rest of the season.”