AARON Byrom is a lad who is going places - fast.

Throughout the summer he has been tearing up the tracks in the six- round Northern Karting Federation Championships.

Driving his 125cc kart at speeds of up to 90mph his prowess has earned him the runners-up cup and the admiration of some circuit officials who see him as a star of the future.

The 13-year-old, from Kendal, who finished third in the championship last year, has vied with youngsters up to three years older than himself all season with consistent second, third and fourth place finishes.

Then in the final round of the under-16 championship at Wigan he really put his foot down and grabbed an outright win and enough points earn the runner-up trophy.

Now Aaron, a member of the Welsh-based Dragon Kart Club, plans to contest the Junior Max Championship next season, which will pit him against drivers up to 18 years old.

"He is a growing lad and we have taken just about all the weight there is to spare out of the kart prepared by Andy Fairless, of Milnthorpe, so going up a grade is the only real option," said his father Nigel Byrom.

It will still mean that Aaron will compete in a single-geared kart, but he is considered to be such an outstanding young driver that the plan is to eventually move on to a six-speed gearbox kart capable of topping 130mph, the sort of machine that has groomed so many Formula One drivers for stardom over the years.