A young girl is set to represent her country in an international bowling competition after her local community rallied around her and raised the money needed for her to attend.
Melissa Ainslie is just 14 but she is a keen bowler and has been invited to compete for Scotland at the European Youth Championships, which are held in France in April.
But it was going to cost Melissa's family around £2,000, and her parents, Kelly, 39, and Allyn, 42, were struggling to pay for the nine-day trip.
Now Melissa is set to compete as enough money was donated by friends, family, and the local community - who all wanted to see the youngster represent them.
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Melissa, who already has 15 trophies, said: "I'm really happy everyone has tried to help, it's incredible. I'm going for my gran and the people who helped me to get there.
"I am one of eight people picked to represent Scotland. I hope there might be more opportunities to go around the world.
"I learnt when I was younger and I got it from my parents and grandparents. I would like to do it professionally when I'm older and go into coaching."
Melissa is putting in three hours a week training at Deer Park Country Club, Livingston, West Lothian, in preparation - after having 19 months with no bowling at all due to lockdowns.
And she's able to go after generous donors raised £2,655 so Melissa can attend to the competition.
She said she will be thinking of gran Anne Ainslie, 72, who died on October 25, 2020, and inspired her love of the sport.
Melissa said: "My grandparents got me into the league and it got more competitive.
"The competitions are all over Scotland, I've made a lot of friends through it.
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"It's the first time I'll be going abroad to represent Scotland.
"You've got to work out what styles works best and what you are comfortable with.
"If there are lots of people around I just try to ignore everyone and focus.
"There was a competition in March 2020, and then 19 months off.
"In September last year I went back.
"I just feel like that's my comfort zone."
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