Youth bosses at an English Football League club say they are planning to keep a close eye on a talented toddler who has shown dribbling skills of a different kind. At only 21 months old little Ben Wright from Spennymoor in Durham has displayed a range of soccer skills that mark him down as a budding star.

Local side Darlington, who play in the third division, say they are keen to keep tabs on the youngster to see if he keeps up his astonishing rate of progress. Proud mum Trudie Adamson said she thought nothing of her son's ball skills until a health visitor said he was way beyond his years.

His mother said: "The health visitor said his co-ordination was brilliant and that she had never seen anything like it. He is always playing with his football and is forever aiming at things around the house and knocking them over, he has a very powerful and accurate shot.

"Even if he is in the middle of a tantrum he will stop if any football comes on the television. He is obsessed with the game."