DEVIZES athletics coach Colin Baross not only trained Paralympic athlete Polly Maton, the Urchfont 16-year-old who shone at this summer's Rio Paralympic Games, but he also made the prosthetic limb which she wore for her sprint and long jump events.

And he was there to see his star athlete, after Polly's parents Anthony and Felicity Maton paid for him to join them and Polly's sister Laura in Brazil.

Polly, a pupil at Dauntsey’s School, West Lavington, came fifth in the T46 (single below or above the elbow amputation category) 100m as well as seventh in the T47 long jump final.

Mr Baross, 53, of Longcroft Road, said: “I made the bottom half of her limb from carbon fibre and aluminium, I think I had it finished by June. She had the upper half of it finished in February. We made the arm so she could compete and lean on it,” he explained.

For several years Polly has competed without a prosthetic, but recently she and Mr Baross decided one might help her. In Rio she clocked a leap of 5.10m in the long jump and a 13.09 sprint time.

“I first met Polly when she was eight years old when she came to one of the Devizes Lions’ sports taster sessions and I was asked to coach athletics for the day," said Mr Baross, who is married to Susan and dad to Lucy, Katie, Bethany and Joseph. "It was very emotional to see her compete in Rio. She did exactly what I hoped she would do.

"She is only 16 so she has got some more strength to build but she performed very well. When I saw her I thought how she was competing with style. It looked fantastic. Me and her parents were so happy to see her do so well.

“I was brought down from my seat so I could be closer when she was doing her long jump.

"Polly has been part of the Devizes Moonrakers athletics club since the beginning. I also coach for Team Bath so she also trains there. We are also fortunate enough to use the facilities at Marlborough College on occasion too,” he added.

He was amazed and delighted when the family asked him to join them on the Rio trip.

“Her parents asked me to come with them. They paid for the journey and the hotel, and it was such a lovely gesture because I couldn’t have afforded to pay for it myself. I work for Cross Manufacturing in Devizes and they let me have the time off work unpaid. I didn’t have any holiday left but they told me that it was a one-off, so I was able to go over there and see her,” he added.

After the Paralympic Games Polly, who competed in the World championships in Doha last year, and won three gold medals for GB at the IWAS World Junior Games in 2014, said: "I've been here for experience and it's been amazing.

"The Brazilian crowd has been amazing. I've never experienced a stadium like this. It's been pretty overwhelming.

"I knew I had a shot at a medal but I didn't push off right at the end, but it was a really enjoyable race anyway.''