An award winning schoolboy has given the proceeds of his prize to support the creation of his school’s first ever girls karting team.

Ben Green, 16, who attends Debden Park High School in Willingale Road was last week presented with a Jack Petchy award for his achievements in Kart racing and for exceeding his target in maths.

The award came with a £200 donation from the Jack Petchy foundation to be spent within the school.

Ben last week was racing in Farnce on the Le Mans track two days before a GCSE French exam.

He said: “It really helped with my exam because I was in France speaking French to French people.

“I usually do a lot of work travelling to or from races; I have to just do work whenever I can.”

Ben chose to put the money towards karting lessons for three year seven students who want to make up the school’s first girls racing team.

Ben, who’s been karting for three years, said: “I wanted to give the money towards the girls’ team because it’s a good way for them to get into the sport.

“It’s a male dominated sport so it’s good to support more girls getting into it.”

The three 12-year-old pupils Eve Edmond-Luce, Sydney Gill and Chantelle Dooher were delighted with the prospect of expert tuition.

Sydney, whose father is a professional motorcycle racer, first started karting when she was seven and has done it sporadically ever since.

She said: “Being on the team will make my dad proud and I’m sure I’ll get a better with the lessons.

Eve and Chantelle have both raced karts as part of friends’ birthday parties.

Chantelle said: “I really enjoyed it when I’ve done it before and joining the team looked like fun.

The girls will be taught at Buckmoor Park in Kent, where Lewis Hamilton began his career, and are now hoping for a successful season and to beat the boys’ teams.

Ben will be racing Ginetta G40 cars next year which will be featured on ITV4 at the same race meetings as the British Touring Car Championships.