Now number-crunching kid Mikhail Ali has won a high-profile new fan – Carol Vorderman, resident brainbox on telly quiz Countdown.

The pair met when the five-year-old genius was given the chance to visit the show's set at the Yorkshire TV studios on Kirkstall Road in Leeds.

Regional news programme Calendar organised the treat after Asian Leader's sister paper the Yorkshire Evening Post revealed that Mikhail was desperate to become the quiz's youngest-ever contestant.

Maths puzzle

And he wasted no time in wowing Carol and the long-running Channel 4 quiz's host, Des O'Connor, by tackling one of their famous maths puzzles.

Mikhail had to add, subtract, multiply or divide six different numbers to reach a randomly-generated total of 116.

Amazement

The schoolboy, from Bramley, Leeds, managed to come with up with 117 – much to the amazement of presenter Des.

He said: "It's almost scary to see such a bright young man."

Carol was equally impressed – but admitted she was unsure whether Mensa member Mikhail should be let on the actual programme.

She said: "It's always a dilemma for us because you want to see really young children on the show but you know even though they might win one or two, if they came when they were 10 or 12 they would probably become octo (eight-time] champs.

"You don't want to spoil their chances of becoming a great Countdown champion."

Mikhail's IQ of 137 puts him in the top one per cent of the UK population.

A pupil at Horsforth's Froebelian School, he can already turn his hand to fractions, percentages and algebra.

His talents aren't confined to mathematics, however – he can also spell virtually any word which is put to him.

Proud

Proud mum Shamsun, 28, said: "He's very keen to learn new things – but he is very modest. He doesn't show off.

"Of course we're pleased that Mikhail has a gift, but the most important thing for us is that he enjoys his childhood."