But that is exactly what happened for Thomas Newman – while watching the Oscar-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that he became intrigued by the unusual writing he saw in the film.

Despite never having been to China, Thomas, from Fratton, Portsmouth, started lessons in Mandarin Chinese aged just 11, at Sunday classes at Mayfield School in North End.

The St Edmund's Catholic School pupil then took up a GCSE course in the language at neighbouring Miltoncross School and got an A*, completing the two-year course in just one year.

Now aged 16 he's moving on to study a Mandarin Chinese A-level at Portsmouth College and he's thought to be the first non-Chinese student to do so.

Thomas explained: 'I found the Chinese language and culture so interesting because it was so different from what I was used to.'

His other A-level choices are also based around language and he hopes that this could lead to his ideal career.

'I chose Chinese because I want to be a linguist when I am older.' he said.

Thomas will also be studying French, Spanish and English language at college.