TEENAGE scooter sensation Joe Crockett heads out to Australia with the hope he can bring back a medal — and who knows, maybe gold — from the 11th annual World Scooter Championships, which starts on Thursday.

Following Joe's meteoric rise as a junior, coming third at the recent European Championship finals in Germany, he heads Down Under with a lot of confidence.

Once Joe has got over jet lag from 25 hours of flying, and little time to acclimatise to the heat of an Aussie summer, he will have training sessions before the competition gets underway.

Joe, 15, of Freshwater, will be hoping he makes it through to the final on Sunday, October 22.

He said: "I'm obviously very excited about the whole thing, but also a little nervous too. 

"I did well in the Euros, so I think I'll do OK, but the Americans will be the biggest threat to me getting a medal.

"I'd be really happy to get a bronze medal, but to come back with gold would be a dream come true.

"Success in Australia would definitely give me a massive boost of confidence going forward into next year."

A GoFundMe page set up to help Joe meet the huge cost of travelling to Australia has raised £795. 

Joe's proud mum, Sarah, who will travel with him, thanked all those who made a donation, adding: "It is a really big opportunity for Joe, especially at his age. It'll be a great experience for him."