AFTER fighting back from having meningitis as a baby, a young woman from Chippenham will represent Great Britain in her international cycling debut.

Lauren Booth, 18, will compete in the Inas Global Games, the world's largest sporting competition for those with intellectual impairments, in Brisbane this October.

Lauren will represent Team GB in the Time Trial, Team Time Trial, Road Race and Track Events in the velodrome during the competition.

She said: "I’m really pleased and proud to have the chance to race in a GB kit. I’d love to win a medal.

"It’s really important that cyclists with learning disabilities are given the chance to race for GB and show that we can be included in events like the Global Games."

Lauren’s selectioncomes shortly after she was dropped from the British Paralympic Cycling team because her disability wasn’t considered sufficiently extreme.

But following assessment by the UK Sports Association on both her intellectual impairment and sporting prowess she has been given the go-ahead to take to the road and track at the Global Games.

At just six-weeks-old, Lauren contracted meningitis, leaving her with permanent brain damage, hearing loss in one ear and cerebral palsy, affecting her left arm and leg and creating balance difficulties.

Her mother, Lisa Jayne Booth, recalled the horror she experienced at the time.

She said: "It was every parent's worst nightmare.

"It's one of those things you hear about but never think will happen to you."

"I'm so proud of all she has achieved now."

As the Inas Global Games are completely non-funded, Lauren has turned to crowdfunding to help her achieve her dream.

Donations can be made online at www.gofundme.com/f/inas-global-games