Schoolboy Jordan Beardshaw saw his bubble burst when he was narrowly beaten in a national bubblegum blowing contest.

Jordan, 12, had dreamed of walking off with a £3,000 cash prize by beating four other bubble-blowing finalists in east London.

However, despite blowing an 8in bubble about the size of a mini football he was pushed into second place by a girl who managed half an inch extra.

Allegations of gamesmanship surfaced with claims the winner carried on blowing after the stop whistle had sounded, dashing Jordan's hopes of being crowned Britain's bubblegum champion.

Jordan, of London Road, St Leonards, said: "I'm gutted. I really wanted to win and I thought I would do. But the girl kept on blowing beyond the whistle and she claimed the title.

"I really enjoyed the day but it would have been better if I had won. I put all my efforts into blowing the biggest bubble but in the end it wasn't good enough."

Jordan, a Year 8 pupil at The Grove School in Darwell Close, St Leonards, won one of the 100 regional heats with a 35cm bubble last month.

He decided to enter the Great British Dubble Bubble Blowing Blow-Off while visiting Woolworths in Hastings town centre. Jordan went home to tell his mother he had won but she thought nothing more of it until she received a phone call a week later saying he had secured a place in the final.

Lyn Beardshaw, 56, said: "Jordan said that when the gum popped, it covered his whole face and hair - it was absolutely huge.

"He's always chewing something but it was a huge surprise when this woman phoned up saying Jordan had won through to a bubble-blowing final.

"I thought it might have been a hoax call."

His mammoth bubble secured him a place in Saturday's final, held at half-time during the West Ham-Gillingham game in front of 25,000 supporters.

Of course, the day was strong on bubble innuendo.

The contest was held at West Ham's Upton Park ground, which resounded to the club's anthem I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, led by West Ham's cheerleader the Hammerettes.

And the presenter of the prize? The Hammers' defender Darren Blewitt, of course.

The contenders were each given two minutes to blow the biggest bubble using an American brand called Dubble Bubble, sold only in selected stores in the UK.

Mrs Beardshaw, who accompanied Jordan with his father Andy, 47, said: "We were all treated like VIPs, with nothing being too much trouble for us.

"There was a beautiful box with food and drink laid on for us to watch the game. Of course I feel gutted as anyone would for their children.

"Jordan was especially disappointed because he had already spent the £3,000 prize money before he had even won it.

"Afterwards he told me he was planning to buy me a car, which was lovely. Knowing us, though, we'd have had a row and he would've asked for it back within a week."

In the end, Jordan and the three other runners-up had to console themselves with £50 worth of Woolworths vouchers and a goody bag.

The winner, meanwhile, will appear on ITV1's Saturday morning children's programme, Ministry of Mayhem, alongside American bubble-blower champion Kelsey Lea, from Texas.

Jordan said: "It was a great day. Maybe I'll give it another go next year - and this time make sure no one blows a bigger bubble than me."