ENGLAND'S current number one female hammer thrower has been given a £2,500 cash boost from two businesses.

Jessica Mayho, 21, has been thrown a £2,000 injection from Skipton-based Sutcliffe Construction and a £500 donation from Guiseley's Claire Benson Hairdressing.

The former Bingley Grammar School student is the North of England hammer champion and current number two in the England under 23 category for her sport which sees her lift, swing and throw a 4kg stainless steel ball and wire huge distances in national competitions.

The grant will be spent on Jessica’s training schedule, track fees, travel and kit costs over the next 12 months, giving her the time to train and compete at a professional level.

She hopes to represent Great Britain in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2020 Olympics.

Jessica, based in Cononley, said: "Without support this year from Sutcliffe Construction and Claire, I would struggle to afford the fees associated with a career in sport.

"Everything I need to be the best athlete I can be has to be paid for such as petrol, physio, gym memberships, facility fees, equipment and the coaching.

"I do have a part-time job but I need to work less and train more when working to national and international level.

"A typical week involves six days of training including four throwing sessions, two lifting sessions, plyometrics, circuits, a cardio recovery session, pilates and weekly physio.

"All my time and energy needs to be spent being the best I can be if I want to represent my country in the future.

"The combined sponsorship of these two local businesses is helping to make my athletic dreams come true.

"It's such a massive relief to know I can just focus on my sport without worrying how I’m going to cover my costs."

David Sutcliffe, director at Sutcliffe Construction, said: "We met Jessica while she was working in Haworth and we immediately recognised her potential to represent Britain and felt compelled to help finance her journey.

"She's an inspirational young woman who has already achieved so much and has real potential to be the face of British hammer throwing in the very near future."

Claire Benson, who will also give Jessica a year's worth of hairstyling, said: "I was shocked to hear how little support young athletes get in this country and how dependent they are on private funding.

"While I've been able to offer Jessica some cash support, I also wanted to bring her some quality time looking after her hair in between her gruelling training schedule to help her look, feel and then be her personal best."