Budding sports stars from the area are being given a helping hand along their path to Olympic and Paralympic glory.

Kent County Council will be providing with the funding to support the training of 44 Kent athletes - five of which from Swale - in the hopes they will represent Team GB in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games.

Swale recipients of the money are: judo sportswoman Freya Harrild, paratriathlon athlete Matthew Emmerson , table tennis player Ross Wilson, athletics competitor Sean Molloy and Rugby Union player Tazmin Bricknell.

This is the seventh year KCC has, via its Sport and Physical Activity Service, supported its top performers.

Barbara Cooper, KCC’s corporate director for growth, environment and transport, said: “I am delighted that we are able to support a number of Kent’s talented sports performers with targeted grants and hope that this support will assist them in their future ambitions to be successful at world level.”

For more details on those receiving funding, visit www.kentsport.org/talent