A teenage boy has scooped a job with one of Britain's top model agencies after taking part in a modelling competition to find the face of the future.

Ben Grant, 16, of Sackville Road, Hove, beat thousands of hopefuls to the finals of the Face Of The Future competition run by Top Shop and London-based models' agency Models 1.

The 6ft 1in youngster, who is taking his GCSEs at Cardinal Newman School in the Upper Drive, Hove, did not win first prize but finished as a runner-up.

His disappointment was short-lived as he received a phone call offering him a job with Models 1.

The agency has already found him his first modelling assignment, appearing in a commercial for Bold washing powder.

His mother Beulah said: "Models 1 rang to say it wanted Ben to join the agency.

"It did not ask everybody so he is very lucky.

"I am really excited about it. Because he is so young it said it thought he had a great career ahead of him.

"He is doing his GCSEs at the moment and doesn't really know what he wants to do. I hope he might go to university but in the meantime this is very exciting for him."

More than 3,000 youngsters entered the competition but Ben was among those picked for a photo shoot in Battersea, London, in April, where he was interviewed by agency judges who signed Calvin Klein and Gucci models.

Mrs Grant, who lives with her three sons in Sackville Road, Hove, said she heard about the competition from a friend, so she went into Top Shop and picked up a form.

The competition was launched in March, when agency chiefs began scouring Top Shop stores for fresh talent.

Before the final, Ben said: "I have never been involved in anything like this before.

"I didn't mind my mum entering me as I thought it wouldn't really go anywhere but when I found out I was a finalist I was really shocked."

He said he thought his friends would think he was joking when he told them he was going to be a model.