A keen young sportsman has been presented with a Duke of Edinburgh Award at Buckingham Palace.

Kiran Horwood, now 19, from Harrow-on-the-Hill, received Gold from Prince Edward for his achievement on May 17, the day before his birthday.

Kiran, who studies History at Warwick University, recently undertook the youth awards programme in the Brecon Beacons which recognises young people for completing a series of challenges and self-improvement exercises and is now popular in several other nations.

Harrow Times:

Kiran, who attended Quainton Hall in Harrow, also attended Aldenham School in Elstree. For his Duke of Edinburgh Award, he bypassed Bronze and Silver going straight to Gold.

He enjoys Thai boxing at Warwick, playing instruments such as piano, guitar and saxophone, and has in the past sang at St. Paul’s and St.

Albans Cathedral. He has a little brother aged five who also wants to do the Duke of Edinburgh like his brother.

Kiran said: “The timing for this award was ideal because it was my 19th birthday the next day.

“The experiences I gained from it are invaluable. It was a lot of hard work and I had to go on a four-day hike with camp in the Brecon Beacons alongside continued involvement with volunteering, skills and physical exercise.”