A YOUNG ice hockey star was thrilled after a waste firm helped fund his trip to an international tournament in Austria.

Jake Luton, 13, of Beachcrofts, Canvey, was able to represent South East England squad at the competition after Veolia, who own the landfill site in Pitsea, paid £250 towards his trip.

Mum Kathryn said having a young ice hockey prodigy was an expensive business.

She said: “It was a massive help. It’s a really expensive sport — there are tournaments all over the place, and then there is the kit and that isn’t cheap.”

Jake’s team took home the fair play award.

Kathyrn added: “They may have come last, but I think they did extremely well. They were playing against national teams with million-pound budgets where ice hockey is a widely played sport.”

Jake, who attends Deanes School in Thundersley, got into ice hockey when his dad took him skating at the age of ten.

His dream is to become an international star.

Nick Walker, project manager for Veolia, who heard about Jake’s travel issues from Canvey councillor Ray Howard, said he was only too pleased to help.