SCIENCE whiz Thomas Wallis from Dorchester won a scholarship at the University of Surrey after scoring top A-level grades.

Thomas, 19, of Greenings Court, Dorchester, scooped three As and a B to take the prestigious prize, one of a handful awarded by the university to entry-level undergraduates for outstanding achievement.

Thomas is studying physics at the university, after taking his A-levels last summer.

He was presented with a cheque for £500 by vice-chancellor professor Patrick Dowling at a ceremony at the university in Guildford.

A further £500 will be awarded to him at the start of the spring term, providing he continues to score good marks in his academic work.

The former Thomas Hardye School pupil moved to the sixth form at Weymouth College to take A-levels in maths, further maths, physics and English, as well as an AS-level in business studies.

Despite his high grades, the teenager admitted he was disappointed after getting his results - because he missed a place at Oxford University by just eight marks.

But Thomas was delighted with the scholarship and said: "It was really good and quite a bonus after not getting into Oxford.

"Surrey University is really good and I'm absolutely loving it. I'm getting a bit of work done."

He thanked his former physics teachers at Weymouth College Pete Mason and Steve Roberts, saying: "After GCSEs I wanted to get away from physics but they managed to somehow make me think: 'This is brilliant and I want to do it at university.'