ASPIRING Stockport sport star Ian Davies has been awarded a prestigious scholarship by a leading sporting institution.

Davies has been awarded a Carnegie Sports Scholarship by Leeds Metropolitan University at a special awards evening at Headingley Carnegie stadium.

The scholarships are given in recognition of outstanding sporting achievement, with many students having competed at national or international level.

Special guests for the evening included Neil Back MBE and Andy Key of Leeds Carnegie, Sue Smith of Leeds Carnegie Ladies and England, and Peter Elliott, regional manager for Yorkshire at the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

Leeds Met boasts both excellent sport and academic facilities, enabling many athletes to continue their sports careers while furthering their education, such as Great Britain’s Jo Ellis who competed at this year’s Beijing Olympics in the women’s hockey team.

Scholars are allocated a support manager to ensure they develop their sporting performance alongside the pursuit of academic studies.

Earlier this year the University was announced as the home of the UK Centre for Coaching Excellence. The centre aims to establish the UK, as part of the legacy of the 2012 Olympics, as the leading coaching system in the world by the 2016 Olympics in 29 sports.

Carnegie sports development manager, Ian Smyth, said: "This is the seventh year we have operated the Carnegie Sports Scholarship scheme.

"It gives the scholarship holders the extremely exciting opportunity to develop their sporting potential and performance alongside the pursuit of academic studies."

He added: "These outstanding students deserve to succeed and, at Leeds Met, we intend to help.

"Many previous scholars have progressed to full international honours and I am sure the class of 2008/09 will do the same."