SOUTHBOURNE teenager Callum Graham is feeling on top of the world after clinching the individual gold medal at the World Junior Shore Angling Championships in Montenegro.

The 16-year-old, who attends St Peters sixth form, put in a superb performance at the week-long event in the Budva region.

He secured victory in his section on the opening day and claimed another top spot on day two.

Despite slipping to fifth in his section on the final day, he again rallied for another section win to clinch the gold.

To put the icing on the cake, the five-strong England junior team, which also included 13-year-old Jaon Voller (Christchurch) and 15-year-old Daniel Stote (Lyming-ton), won the team bronze medal.

Making up the team were Daniel Phillips (Lee-on-Solent) and Martin Smith from Kent.

Team medallist Stote also finished eighth in the individual classification.

Team manager Chris Clark was delighted with the team’s performance.

He said: “Getting a result on foreign soil is always difficult, but getting such a result in Montenegro where the team had to use unfamiliar baits to catch species of fish never encountered in UK waters was a real achievement.”

Clark was supported by assistant manager Dave Graham from Bournemouth.

The young Lions were sponsored by Christchurch and Lymington clubs, Christchurch Angling Centre, Moonfleet Angling, Fox International, Kamasan and their main backer Tronix Pro.

The World Youth 21 Shore Championships, which was held in conjunction with the junior event, also proved to be successful for the England team.

It included Ollie Hopkins from Lymington, Toby Oldfield from Christchurch (fifth individual), Stephen Rathbone from West Bay, along with Michael Brooks and Ben Harrison from Liverpool.

England also collected a team bronze, while Brooks took the individual bronze.