THE ball skills of a 15-year-old football fan helped win him a top-of-the-range pair of boots yesterday.

Michael Cook, from Seaham, County Durham, managed to juggle a ball 88 times to win the Keep-it-Uppie competition staged at the new Dalton Park shopping centre, in nearby Murton.

He beat four other qualifiers from heats staged over the weekend outside the centre's adidas store, winning the final by 31 touches.

Michael, who won a £90 pair of boots from the store, managed 57 touches in his heat - and that was the exact figure of his nearest challenger in the final.

Among the runners-up, who each won £10 store vouchers, was 12-year-old Catherine Baines, from Peterlee, the only female finalists.

Competition organiser, ex-Hartlepool player Sean Johnston, said the original "over-16s only" rule had to be relaxed as ball-shy adults refused to come forward to take part.