A HEREFORD schoolboy has been playing his part in the latest success of the Wales under-17 squad.

Fifteen-year-old Joe Arnold, a pupil at Aylestone School, has just returned from Turkey with the squad which finished top of their group in the first qualifying round of the Under-17 European Championship.

Wales, under the management of Ian Rush, beat Georgia 2-0 and Azerbaijan 4-0 as well as claiming a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with the host nation.

They will now move on to the second qualifying round in Portugal from March 7-13 where they will contest a group with Portugal, Israel and Greece. The finals take place in France next summer.

Joe, a regular with the Swindon Town under-17 squad, is in his fifth year at Aylestone and was the youngest member of the Wales squad.

6Pictured, Joe Arnold displays his Wales cap.