A former Hedingham schoolboy is celebrating after helping his team row to bronze at his first international competition.

Tom Bowles, of Castle Hedingham, was part of the Bath University team representing Great Britain which clinched third spot at the European Universities Games held in Portugal.

The 21-year-old, who is in his second year studying sport and exercise, took part in the lightweight quad sculls event, where crew members have to weigh less than 70kg.

This meant a frantic ten days for Tom, a former Hedingham School pupil, who had to shed close to a stone after competing at the Henley Royal Regatta.

Tom said: “The games event was a lightweight event but there was no overall weight for the Henley event, so I let myself go a bit and then had a bit of weight I had to shift.

“It was amazing – my first proper international event and hopefully the first of many.

“I have never done anything like that before and to stand on the podium and get a picture of me on the podium was surreal.”

Tom started rowing aged 14 with Sudbury Rowing Club after following his sister into the sport.

He trains as part of the Bath University team, racking up as many as 18 sessions a week.

He said: “We normally train two sessions each day, six days a week.

“Once my exams were over in May it went up to three sessions, six days a week.

“In winter it is not that nice but it is all worth it because racing is the best bit.”

Tom hopes to move into the coaching side of the sport in the future.

He added: “Next year I am doing a bit of coaching and am starting a coaching placement at Radley College in Oxford.

“I want to go into coaching and focus on that, but I’m not giving up rowing yet.”