A former Sittingbourne school pupil was handed the honour of taking part in the Lord Mayor’s Show.

Dan Snook joined in the famous annual parade through London’s streets as a member of a float run by Trinity House, the corporation that deals with shipping safety.

The 18-year-old, a super-yacht cadet at the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA), was one of two trainees selected for the show.

A resident of Minster, Sheppey, he said: “It was a big honour for me and a really good experience.

“The float was in the style of a motorboat, and we walked beside it.

“There was such a big turnout, so many people watching, and the excitement generated by the crowd transcended to the parade.

“I’ve got a sore hand from the constant high fives.”

Interested in the marine industry from an early age, Dan said being selected for a cadetship after completing his A-levels at Fulston Manor School this year was “a very proud moment”.

It seems he was destined for a life on the ocean waves.

His dad, Graham, was in the Merchant Navy, and Dan was set on a path for a nautical career of his own when he joined Sheppey Sea Cadets as a 12-year-old.

The four-year cadetship, which is based at Cowes on the Isle of Wight and is funded by Trinity House, combines professional training and paid work placements.

Its first phase ends in March, and soon afterwards, Dan will take his maiden voyage aboard a super-yacht as a deckhand.

Fully qualified cadets can look forward to a life travelling the high seas as officers on some of the world’s largest vessels.

Dan, a member of Minster Windsurf Academy and the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club, explained his passion for water-based pursuits.

“I love the freedom it brings, and living on Sheppey, I’ve been brought up by the sea,” he said.

Emma Baggett, industry and cadetship manager at UKSA, outlined the reasons Dan was selected to represent the academy at the Lord Mayor’s Show.

She said: “It was a tribute to his enthusiasm for the industry and his hard work and determination to excel on the course”.