TALENTED young athlete Katie Ormerod is literally flying high on two fronts.

The 12-year-old snowboarder beat off competition from the professionals to come second in a top European contest.

And she has also been training hard to compete in national finals of gymnastics.

Katie, 12, of Brighouse came second at this year’s Brits competition at the Swiss ski resort of Laax earlier this week.

Her potential was spotted aged six when she first hit the slopes on a snowboard.

And she’s earmarked as a star of the future.

But sporty Katie is also a keen gymnast and will soon compete in the Grade Six National Finals.

It’s a busy time for mum Claire and dad Mark, especially as their younger son Harvey is following in Katie’s tracks on the ski slopes.

Claire said: “Katie came second overall and was up against professionals who were older than her.

“She had to do air half pipes and tricks and jumps, she was really impressive.

“The best thing is it’s something she enjoys so much. Training for her is fun and competing is too – she’s made a lot of friends who do it too.

“She’s got a sports scholarship for Hipperholme Grammar School and they are very good and encouraging with her competing.”

Katie is also into gymnastics and she juggles snowboard training with her gym work.

Claire added: “At the minute they complement each other and she’s really good at fitting everything in around her school work.

“When she first started it was just a family holiday and it’s all gone on from there which is amazing.”

The Brits is an annual week-long event which sees Britain’s top snowboarders and skiers come together to compete for a week of competitions and après ski events.

Katie, sponsored by the SNO!zone at Castleford, beat some of the best UK snow sport talent to take second place in the slope-style competition.

She had to demonstrate a range of gravity defying stunts and tricks.

Dad Mark added: “It all started when she was six on a family holiday and it developed from there.

“She had the potential when she was very young, but we wanted Katie to enjoy it and for everything else to follow that.

“It’s very hectic for her with this, the gymnastics and school, but she works hard at it.”

And younger brother Harvey, six, is following Katie’s tracks.

He’s just moved from the skis to the snowboard and is showing signs of potential too.

For her parents, it remains a hobby – dad Mark has been doing it for eight years and mum Claire joked she’d now been overtaken by Katie.