BURY'S Tom Dunlop continues to go from strength to strength on the badminton court.

The sixteen-year-old Holy Cross College student has enjoyed another superb year both nationally and internationally.

Once again he leads the rankings in his age group and in February captured his third national singles title in a row when he won the Under-17 Nationals to add to his Under-13 and Under-15 successes.

He has moved up in competition terms to play many more senior and Under-19 events this year and in the first half of the season became the Lancashire senior singles and doubles champion - the youngest ever winner of either title.

Tom is now a regular member of the Lancashire senior county first team playing in the Premier A Division of the Inter County League.

Internationally, he has competed almost exclusively at Under-19 level rather than his own age group.

He won the gold medal in the singles at major German competition at Langenfeld plus another in the mixed doubles at the Polish Open - a major European ranking event.

In between his A-level studies Tom is now busy preparing for the Under-17 Six Nations competition.

This is the big European competition of the year in his age group where, together with his England teammates, he will be facing the best from Denmark, Germany, Holland, Sweden and France.