A FORMER North Bromsgrove High School pupil has overcome injury to win selection to Wales' netball squad for the Commonwealth Games.

Sophie Baxter, who is also a member of Ryland Netball Club, is set to jet off with the squad to Australia next week in preparations for the games in Melbourne, which start on March 15.

Her dreams of playing any netball were shattered when she injured her anterier cruciate ligament.

It has taken the determined 20-year-old months of hard work to prove her fitness and win a place at the games.

She said: "I don't think if it's quite hit me that I'm going to the Commonwealth Games. It's just an amazing feeling.

"I'm going to be coming up against the best teams in the world and I can't wait to play."

Baxter, who is eligible to play for Wales through her parents, almost had her dreams shattered when she injured her ligaments at a Wales under-21 training camp in 2005.

She said: "I had to work very hard to get back to fitness and my place in the squad was never guaranteed.

"To get a place is absolutely fantastic and I'm fully fit and raring to go."

The Bath University student also faces tough international action this weekend when Wales play in the European Open Championships.

Wales take on Ireland on Friday, February 17, England the following day and Scotland on Sunday.

Sheila Perks, coach at Ryland Netball Club, said: "Sophie has worked her way up from Ryland and we are all incredibly proud of what she's done.

"She had a terrible injury, but she worked very hard to get fit."