Lights honour for Paralympic hero

Eleanor Simmonds set a new world record in the 400m freestyle

A West Midlands teenager who won two gold medals at the Paralympic Games has been given the chance to turn on the Christmas lights in her home town.

Eleanor Simmonds, 13, of Aldridge, Walsall, won the 100m freestyle in Beijing and later added the 400m freestyle title in a world record.

The teenager, born with achondroplasia, or dwarfism, has been training in Swansea, Wales, nearly 160 miles away.

"It's just whether she can get here to do it," her father, Steve, said.

"She's at school in Swansea Monday to Friday and if something can be organised, I'm sure she'd love to do it."

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