Lara said her selection for the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes scheme is already enhancing her dream of emulating nine-time Paralympic gold medalist Lee Pearson at London 2012.


She will also benefit from the know-how of Lloyds TSB local hero mentors including Paralympic wheelchair basketball bronze medallist Ade Adepitan.


And after watching Pearson grab a historic hat-trick of gold medal hat-tricks in Hong Kong last month – Lara is looking forward to sharing the limelight with the 34-year-old in four years time.


“I started competing about four years ago and the funding has been a major help,” she said. “To compete at an international tournament in this country costs about £1,000 and to go abroad it is more than £2,500.


“To watch Lee be so successful is really inspiring – and 2012 is the dominant thing on my mind at the moment.


“I’ve been competing in able-bodied competitions a lot recently and I will be looking to do some more over the winter.


“There aren’t a great deal of disabled events throughout the year so when it comes to the winter I have to test myself and I feel I perform better.”


Lara was denied a place in Great Britain’s undefeated gold medal winning para-equestrian team in the Far East as her disability is yet to receive Paralympic classification.


And former Great Britain ace Adepitan – who claimed bronze in Athens in 2004 – is predicting a golden Paralympic future for Lara.


“She makes a huge commitment in time and money in order to do what she does and she doesn’t get a lot back. This relieves a bit of pressure and gives her a boost.


“Sport can be lonely so when someone comes along and believes in you enough to give you £1,000 it makes you realise you will make it after all.”


Lara has a lot of people come up to her in the street to congratulate on her successes, so the people of Market Rasen are behind her, she just needs the business and local companies to realise how they could be part of her success towards 2012.


PLEASE LEAVE IN FINAL PAR - Lloyds TSB is providing up to £1,000 to 250 emerging young sportspeople identified each year across Britain, in the run up to London 2012 and beyond. Visit www.Lloydstsb.com/Localheroes