A YOUNG gold medal-winning disabled athlete is zooming into the future thanks to her dad's kind-hearted bosses, who forked out the final £500 towards a brand new wheelchair.

Charlotte Street, who has spina bifida, scooped gold in the 100m wheelchair sprint at the National Disabled Athletics Championships in the summer.

But the plucky 12 year old from Plymouth Close, Headless Cross, needed a new specially adapted wheelchair for her day-to-day activities.

As a result, her dad Dave, an operations manager at Transco, approached his bosses when Charlotte needed to raise another £500 towards the wheelchair and they agreed to make up the shortfall.

Charlotte was officially presented with the £2,000 wheelchair at a Variety Club of Great Britain Millennium Carol Concert at Birmingham Cathedral at the weekend.

It was a lovely gesture by the company and it provided the final amount needed to buy the wheelchair, said Mr Street.

On average, Charlotte has needed to replace her wheelchair every two to three years and it can be a very expensive business, he added.

The wheelchair is an integral part of Charlotte she is totally reliant on it so it has to be absolutely right in order for her to be comfortable in everyday life, let alone winning any races.

Charlotte, who attends St Bede's Middle School in Lakeside, said: I can get around the playground a lot quicker and have more fun.

I'd like to say a big thank you to everybody who helped in the fund-raising for the wheelchair.

Charlotte has already added that personal touch to her new wheelchair by decorating it in with her own purple design.