A TEENAGER is hoping her burgeoning skills at squash will take her from the east coast of America to a scholarship in the west of England and eventually the top of her chosen sport.

Annabelle Ballands took to a squash court for the first time barely two years ago yet she is already ranked among England’s top 10 for her age group.

Annabelle, Kent’s Under-15 champion and a pupil at Archbishop's School in Canterbury, competes in league squash against adult players and already competes in international events.

The 13-year-old from Faversham has just appeared in an international tournament in Boston courtesy of her racquet sponsors Harrow Squash, where she finished a creditable second to a Canadian player two years her senior.

Her talents have also caught the eye of six-time British Open Champion Jonah Barrington, nowadays squash master at the prestigious Millfield School, in Somerset, who looks set to offer Annabelle a scholarship from next year.

Not that Annabelle’s squash skills should come as any great surprise. She is, after all, following in the footsteps of her father Martin, an England international, county player for Kent and Essex as well as coach at the King’s Canterbury.

He said: "I always said I would never force Annabelle into playing squash, but a couple of years back she just came up to me one day and said she’d like to try the game.

"It was all a bit of fun at first but she took to it quickly and has never looked back. But it is hard work getting on in squash and there have been some tears along the way."

He added: "Being on court against older girls and women can sometimes be intimidating for her, after all she’s only 13, but she is very determined and goes about the game properly."