PAULINE Burfitt admits she never expected to have the chance to represent England after earning her first international call-up.

The 58-year-old, of Monkton Park, Chippenham is celebrating her selection as a reserve for the home nations match at the British Target Championships on August 13-14 at Lilleshall’s National Sports Centre.

Burfitt is a member of Chippenham Archers, where her partner Dave Jones is club coach, and her results in local and national competitions over the season have also seen her regain her qualification as a Grand Master Bowman, the highest level an archer can reach.

“It’s really exciting and even if I don’t get the chance to shoot, just to be picked as a reserve is an achievement,” said Burfitt, who works as a Community Resource Worker for Adults with learning difficulties at Riverbank in Chippenham.

“I’ve done about three or four big competitions this season and I put myself forward just for the sake of it.

“I got to Grand Master Bowman a year ago and I never really thought that I’d do something like that, so this is even more of a surprise.

“If I carry on shooting well then I might well get the chance to come into the team for the next big competition that comes around.”

Burfitt uses a compound bow and has been shooting for around 14 years.

“I came along to watch one day and decided that I wanted to have a go and everything just snowballed from there,” she said.

“I’ve come into the sport quite late and other people have got age on their side but I love doing it.”