WHEELCHAIR basketball ace Tyler Baines has earned selection for the Great Britain under-17s training squad – at the age of just 13.

Baines played a key role in helping the North West under-15s team win the Lord’s Taverners National Junior Championships at Worcester University, and his performances have been rewarded with a call-up to the first GB under-17s camp of its kind.

It was third year in succession Baines and his North West team-mates had won gold in the annual competition, with the talented Barrovian’s attacking skills proving instrumental throughout.

Baines – who was doubtful for the tournament after falling off his bike and chipping a bone in his elbow – shrugged off any injury concerns to be a regular on the scoresheet as the North West qualified from the group stages with ease.

They defeated eventual bronze medallists Yorkshire 38-10, North East 28-12, East Midlands 27-8, London 27-16 and the South East 32-12.

It was a similar story in the knockout stages as the defending champions brushed aside West Midlands 32-6 in the quarter-finals and then beat Yorkshire again 28-9 in the semis to set up a final against Northern Ireland – the team they had beaten in the final in both the previous two years.

Showing once again he is a player for the big occasion, Baines produced a man-of-the-match performance in the final, netting 13 points as the North West triumphed 24-17.

“Tyler was absolutely buzzing,” said dad Mark, who watched the tournament from the sidelines with his family.

“It was a brilliant. The crowd was fantastic and to win the gold medal for the third year on the trot is amazing.

“Me and my wife and the rest of the family are so proud of what he has done.”

Baines's reward is inclusion in the first ever GB Under-17s training squad, with training sessions to be held in Worcester and the prospect of playing some matches abroad.

Said Tyler: “I would like to thank all my coaches for helping me. I really enjoy the sport and I’m proud to have made the GB camp.”

In addition Tyler – who won last year’s Cumbria Sports Awards Be Inspired Award – is one of three youngsters from Cumbria to have been chosen to attend a Talent Inspiration Programme in Manchester this month.