A talented Norwich School student has become one of only 48 young people in the UK to be awarded a prestigious army scholarship.

Sixteen-year-old James Applegate from Hemblington, near Acle, has been told by letter that he will receive a coveted Army Sixth Form Scholarship – an award more than 800 young people apply for each year.

The scholarship recognises students of high academic ability who display good leadership potential. It is awarded on merit, irrespective of background.

'I've been interested in joining the army for more than two years and was invited to apply for the scholarship by an army careers advisor who visited my school,' said James.

He completed an application form with his predicted GCSE results, interests, sporting involvement and career aspirations, and was then invited to a formal interview before a national scrutiny board considered the report with a reference from Norwich School.

As a short-listed candidate, he attended the Army Officer Selection Board and spent three days during the October half-term at Westbury in Wiltshire, where he completed tasks testing his mental, physical and leadership aptitude under the watch of senior army officers.

'I was surprised to hear I'd been awarded the scholarship but I'm very pleased,' said James, who is studying A-levels in maths, physics, geography and classics at Norwich School, and hopes to study civil engineering at university before joining the Royal Engineers.