A TALENTED young freerunner will be demonstrating his skills on TV after being nominated for a national award.

Josh Young, 11, of Northview Drive, Westcliff, will be on Nickelodeon’s Fruit Shoot Get Your Skills On at 9am, on Saturday, after being nominated for the Trick Stars Skills award.

He is largely self-taught in the art of freerunning through Youtube – a French movement in which people move through towns, running and jumping over urban hurdles and obstacles in a continuous, fluid, movement.

It requires significant flexibility, strength and athleticism and for the past year the Chase High School pupil has been training at the freerunning gymat Rochford Primary School.

Josh’s skills were picked up by Get Your Skills On presenter Connor Boost when Josh trained at one of his groups, but he said most of his friends were still sceptical that he is going to be on television.

He said: “I don’t think they believe me, to be honest. Some do but most of them don’t.”

As a sport with high jumps, wall-scaling and even back flips, Josh said anyone looking for an exciting hobby may want to consider freerunning.

He said: “I’d definitely recommend other people try it. I quite like people’s reaction to it and it gives me a buzz.”

Mum Melanie, 37, has had to overcome her fears that Josh could potentially get hurt, but she said she was thrilled he has made it on to television.

She said: “I’m very proud of him. When he started, it was quite frightening watching him flying off walls 6ft high but I’m getting used to it.

“He practices so much that I’m not worried any more, to be honest.”

Votes can be cast for Josh’s performance from Saturday at www.nick.co.uk/getyourskills on ahead of the final episode of Get Your Skills On on September 6, at 9am, when the winner will be announced.