Lottie Smith wins a silver medal at the Northern European Gymnastics Championship

Stamford gymnast Lottie Smith received the perfect early birthday present after landing a double medal haul while representing England at the weekend.

Lottie – who turned 21 on Tuesday – was part of the England side that triumphed in the Northern European Championship at Cardiff where they faced the host nation Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Jersey plus several other countries.

The former Stamford School pupil came seventh overall but also qualified for the apparatus finals where she took second spot and the silver medal after the England team had struck gold in the overall event.

Lottie has been practising gymnastics since she was three and now trains in Nottingham and has represented England in competitions for several years.

Her mum, Trudy, coaches gymnastics at Stamford High School and Lottie’s grandfather, Albert Exton, who passed away in the summer, was also involved in coaching in the Stamford area. Lottie is also now a level one coach.