A PEMBROKESHIRE teenager who has created a fast-paced arcade game is in the zone for a British award.

Mathew Jenkins, aged 16, taught himself how to code and create games after buying a computer with money from a summer job.

Now his game – Slow Moe – has taken him to the finals of the BAFTA Young Games Designers’ competition, where it is one of 40 entries lining up for accolades.

Slow Moe was so named by 16-year-old Mathew, of Llandissilio, because players use slow motion to collect power-ups and defeat enemies.

It was chosen for the contest final out of more than 1,000 entries, and the young designer’s mum, Samantha, said: “I am unbelievably proud of what Mathew has achieved.

“I really hope that this is the start of something wonderful for him, and I couldn’t be more grateful to BAFTA for the opportunity.”

The competition, to find the game designers of the future, will be judged by a panel of industry professionals. The results will be revealed at an awards ceremony at the London headquarters of BAFTA (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts) on June 29.