A bodybopping boy from Oxford has won a European title for his robotic dance moves.

Levon De Silva, 13, from Coriander Way, Greater Leys, beat rivals from 22 countries to lift the Electric Boogie crown at the European Hip Hop Dance Championships.

The St Gregory the Great School pupil won over judges with his moves to triumph in the under-16 solo category of the event, which saw contestants perform one-minute routines of robot-inspired street dance.

Levon, who also finished third in the under-16 solo hip hop dance section, said: "I felt excited and shocked when I won. My routine was a lot different from everyone else. Maybe the judges were looking for something different.

"I want to keep going on and winning more competitions and go as far as possible with dancing. I would like to dance behind a famous person in a music video."

Levon used to be a keen footballer. He said: "Dancing is a lot harder than football. When you win in football, you win as a team, but in dancing when you win solos, it feels like a personal victory."

His mother Caroline, who joined him at the championship finals in Denmark last weekend, said: "Words can’t describe it. I was trembling when he won. I stood up and I thought my knees were going to give up.

"When I think about it, I feel like crying, because I'm so happy."

Kelly Chandler, who teaches Levon and fellow European finalists Kada Marshall, 10, Elise Claire, 13 and Latysha Harrison, 11, said his achievement was more remarkable because he had only been dancing for 10 months.

Ms Chandler, who teaches the children at KC's School of Dance, at Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, said the title followed Levon’s 13th place finish in the World Hip Hop Championships earlier this year.

She said: "He has achieved so much. He hangs off of every word I say — everything I said to do, he did.

"He's cute out on the floor but quiet and shy off it — he couldn’t understand why people wanted pictures with him.

"But when he gets on the floor, he changes and he's electric."

Levon had practised his routine every day in the months leading up to the championships. He now hopes to forge a career as a professional dancer.

Ms Chandler added: "Levon’s future is going to be amazing. He will make it as a dancer. He will be famous."