A paralympic gold medal winner from Garston has been added to Stoke Mandeville Hall of Fame.

Margaret Maughan is acknowledged as Britain’s first ever paralympic gold medal winner.

Hall of Fame selectors said her achievement in archery at Rome 1960 was not just a display of sporting talent, but a testimony to her spirit and endeavour at a time where competing in sport came with significant additional challenges.

The Countess of Wessex unveiled Ms Maughan to the gallery for her services to British wheelchair sport.

Ms Maughan said: "It’s a great honour to me, it was a great surprise because it is a long time since I did my active sport, but I’m still very involved and still very interested and proud to have been in at the beginning of it."

A patient of Sir Ludwig Guttmann at the National Spinal Injury Centre at Stoke Mandeville, Margaret is known as a pioneer of the paralympic movement.

She continued: "Sir Ludwig himself, he was my doctor at the hospital. I remember the comradeship, getting to know people, we were really a big family together. Sport was a very big part of my life."

The Hall of Fame takes pride of place at the entrance of Stoke Mandeville Stadium and will be seen by nearly half a million visitors every year.

WheelPower chairman Kevan Baker added: "As the owners of Stoke Mandeville Stadium, and as the national organisation of wheelchair sport, WheelPower created the Hall of Fame in 2003.

"We are delighted that Her Royal Highness has been able to visit us to unveil these highly worthy new members to the Hall of Fame and also to see first-hand, our work to provide sporting opportunities for people with spinal cord injuries." 

WheelPower have committed to adding new names to the Hall every future paralympic year to continue celebrating the success and contribution of athletes, coaches, volunteers or supporters of wheelchair sport.