DAME Tanni Grey-Thompson has been inspiring youngsters at one of the region’s schools.

The Welsh athlete and winner of sixteen Paralympic medals, met with twelve year olds India Oates and Jacob Bray at Barnard Castle School last month to give her support at the start of their journeys as talented athletes with disabilities.

Dame Tanni, who has also broken 30 world records and won the London Marathon six times, gave her top tips to Miss Oates, an athletics star, and Mr Bray, a swimmer, before they begin to compete in more high profile competitions.

Miss Oates, who has Cerebral Palsy, was talent spotted by her prep school teacher, Sue Seddon at the age of ten when she noticed she was hitting quicker sprint times than Paralympians in the spotlight.

She now trains with Darlington Harriers and the Barnard Castle School team four times a week while also going through the International Paralympic Committee classification process so she can compete in regional and national competitions.

Meanwhile, school swimming champion, Mr Bray, has a prosthetic hand so took the opportunity to ask for advice on how to get to the top in sport.

Dame Tanni said: “India and Jacob both have great attitudes at this stage.

“Jacob told me he didn’t just like swimming, but also likes high jump and other sports - it’s important when you’re young to try lots of different sports until you’ve found ‘the one’.

“Barnard Castle School encourages pupils to be the best they can, but also helps children to become all-rounders, developing different transferable skills.

“The sports facilities are fantastic here but it’s the coaching that really matters.”

Mr Bray added: “Miss Thompson has given me some help on how I can achieve my first goal which is to become the fastest swimmer in my year group.

“She explained that the more effort you put in the more chance you have of winning and I’m trying my hardest all the time at the moment.

“I train four times a week in school - if I keep trying my hardest I hope I will become the best swimmer, which is my dream.”

Andy Woodward, strength and conditioning coach and head of athletics at Barnard Castle School, said: “It’s great that India and Jacob have had the chance to meet such an inspiring figure in international sport.

“Everyone needs heroes to inspire them after a difficult training day.”