AN aspiring film-maker could soon be walking in the footsteps of two of his home town's most famous exports - Ridley and Tony Scott - after he collected an award for his debut project.

Ashley Holland, 19, from Hartlepool, received a Young Achiever of the Year award for his work to help create the town's first multi-racial football team, before turning his attention to making a film about racism in the sport.

He is concentrating on developing a career in youth work.

"I was over the moon with the award, especially because I knew absolutely nothing about it," he said. "The film dealt with racism in football and we were trying to get a point across and it was based on a real mixed-race team we had started."

The 25-minute video, called Frontline Troops, was the idea of the Hartlepool Youth Forum, with a little help from a Barnardo's advice centre project B76, and focuses on the Hartlepool Hurricanes football team.

Mr Holland said: "We had 300 people at the premiere of the film and that was amazing. It is now being shown around the country in Barnardo's centres, schools and colleges. We even got an invite to London as part of the football association's Let's Kick Racism Out of Football campaign.

"I enjoyed making the film, but I am now concentrating on becoming a youth worker in Hartlepool."

Hazel Brunton, manager of Barnardo's B76 project, said: "We are very proud of Ashley. He has worked hard, shown great commitment to the area and to the development of the team.

"He played a big role in putting together what was a hard hitting and very well received film on the problems the team faced and he richly deserves the award."

Published: 12/10/2004