LEARNING to ride a unicycle posed no difficulties for 14-year-old Andrew Chalmers, of Piercebridge.

It took him just an hour to master the tricky business of getting about on one wheel and without handlebars for steering.

Andrew, who is in year nine at Hummersknott school in Darlington, had yearned to have a go after seeing a friend ride a unicycle in the village.

By coincidence, another friend from the neighbouring village of Manfield, had the loan of one from a circus skills club held at Richmond school, and at the end of the week, he brought it round for Andrew to try.

Within about an hour, Andrew was careering round the village as if born in the saddle - and since then he has been hooked.

His mother, Shirley, managed through the club's contacts to buy Andrew his own unicycle, and now he is rarely seen without it.

Mrs Chalmers, who confesses to have given it a go herself, unsuccessfully, is full of admiration for her son.

She told the D&S Times: "I don't know where the urge to ride a unicycle came from. He just wanted to do it and was determined to have one.

"From the start he took to it like a duck to water, and now he goes everywhere on it. I've had a go but it is far too difficult to stay on."

Andrew says he has no yearning to be a circus performer or use his new-found talent for anything other than a hobby.

He is content riding round the village or taking the unicycle on holiday and chatting to people who stop him on the way.

He said: "At first people in the village were shocked to see a unicycle, but now they are used to seeing me riding around. I go just about everywhere on it. Every morning I ride it to the bus stop for school, and mum walks it home because she can't ride it back."