The county of Suffolk could soon become synonymous with track cycling with the emergence of two young siblings showing huge promise.

The county of Suffolk could soon become synonymous with track cycling with the emergence of two young siblings showing huge promise.

While the likes of Mildenhall's Victoria Pendleton and Newmarket's Ross Edgar are making a big impact on the national stage,

Bury St Edmunds-based brother and sister duo Nathan and Esther Colman are shooting up though the grass-roots system.

Both members of the West Suffolk Wheelers Cycling Club, 16-year-old Nathan and 12-year-old Esther both recently competed at the National Junior and Youth Track Championships in Newport, Wales.

Competing in the 15,000m pursuit, sprint and 500m time-trial, Esther gained enough overall points to take a superb silver medal in her first ever appearance at the Championships.

Her brother Nathan, who is also showing a great deal of potential, was not so lucky, a crash leaving him with concussion and out of the medals.

The pair currently make the 140 mile round trip to their nearest velodrome in Hertfordshire's Welwyn Garden City every week where they ride in the Friday Night Track League.

Although Esther is technically cate-gorised as a Youth C, she has been moved up to the more challenging Youth B section already, while older brother Nathan has also been promoted from the top level of junior racing to competing alongside the senior riders.

Mother Cath Colman said: “I think the both of them will just take it on and see how far they can go.

“It's a great sport to be in at the moment. The British are taking a whole clutch of medals and the programme is extremely good.”

St James Middle School pupil Esther only started cycling with the West Suffolk Wheelers, attending 'go-ride' introductory sessions which the club organise for children, and immedietley her parents picked up on her speed and asked if she would like to attend.

Since then Esther has undertaken a number of cycling events, including the 100-mile Bury St Edmunds wheel challenge on which she rode the whole way on a tandem with her father Julian.

Esther also recently competed in her first ever Triathlon, the Ipswich Triathlon Club Junior Championship, at which she finished third in her class.

She also swims up to five times a week with the West Suffolk Swimming Club. Mother Cath said: “Perhaps at a later stage she might go over more towards cycling, but it seems to work as it is with the swimming at the moment.”