Schoolboy's design will be on 50p coins for 2012 Olympics

Rishworth School pupil Theo Crutchley-Mack, 16, entered a nationwide schools competition, organised by the Royal Mint, to create a London Olympic Games cycling-themed 50p.

His design, featuring a rider racing a bike in a Velodrome, beat off competition from over 3,000 entries from secondary school pupils across the country.

Yesterday Dave Knight, The Royal Mint's Head of Commemorative Coins, announced Theo's win at an assembly at Rishworth School and presented him with a one- off gold "strike" of his design.

Theo said: "I'm still in shock. I think I need a bit more time

for it to sink in. To imaginemy coin design is going

to be in everyone's hands is unbelievable."

Mr Knight said: "Theo is passionate about cycling and it showed in his design. The judges were impressed by the sense of speed, drama and excitement he managed to capture in his entry."

His creation is the second in a series of 29 London 2012 50p commemorative coins, designed by members of the public as lasting mementos of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Theo's cycling design will be found on 50p coins from autumn this year, when the London 2012 coins series goes into general circulation.