A schoolboy prodigy has become the youngest player in the UK to win a master chess tournament.

David Howell, 12, who attends St Andrew's School in Mead, Eastbourne, won seven out of nine games in an international competition in Hungary.

That performance, earlier this month, was good enough for him to scoop the international master title and claim his place in sporting history.

David, from Seaford, was competing in the under-20s category and was five years younger than any of his rivals.

It was another step towards stardom for David who, at nine, became the youngest player to beat a grand master and qualify for the British championship.

He has now been presented with a Best Young Chess Player Award at the Britain's Brilliant Prodigies 2003 Awards in London.

He has also been interviewed on Breakfast TV, Blue Peter, Nickelodeon, Good Morning America and several local news programmes.

David said: "I rank this as one of my best achievements because I really didn't expect to win, not that I expected to win any of my previous tournaments, but this was always going to be tough.

"Although most of my games lasted more than four hours, I was really starting to enjoy the tournament, so I can't say I was relieved when it was over."

He added: "I want to carry on and become the best player I can. With that win I am a third of the way to becoming an international master and the next step is becoming a grand master.

David's chess success means he is better travelled than most of his peers. In the last few years he has played in France, Greece, Spain, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and the USA.

He started playing when he was five after his dad bought him a second hand set.

Soon, he was beating his tutors and making a name for himself at the Sussex Junior Chess Association.

David's other achievements include being the youngest player to compete in a national chess championship and last year he won bronze in the World Championships.