LACON CHILDE student Shannon Smith has been selected to play for England Juniors at this week’s Sainsbury’s School Games, a national competition and springboard to international competition and the Olympic Games.

Smith, 15, from Cleobury Mortimer, currently represents the Black Country in the National Volleyball League and is part of the West Midlands Under-16 team that won the Inter-Regional Championships this year. ?She has been playing since the age of nine and has always dreamed of representing England.

The call-up is a reward for her punishing schedule of training and matches, which includes the local Cleobury Mortimer team.? The School Games start today (September 3) and run until Sunday.