A former Lord Mayor of Norwich has launched an appeal to help an inspiring great-grandmother continue to compete at the very highest level in fencing.

Connie Adam will be travelling to Austria next week to take part in the Veterans' World Championships.

As there is no over-80s category, Mrs Adam will be competing in the over-70s in sabre and epee and hoping to equal or better the bronze medal she picked up at the event last year.

But the cost of travelling to competitions is becoming harder for the 84-year-old, who lives near the University of East Anglia, and she did not take part in the most recent Commonwealth championships in Singapore for that reason.

Now Roy Blower, a former Lord Mayor who served as a councillor on both the city and county councils and has always had a special interest in promoting sport, has launched an appeal to help raise funds for the Olympic torchbearer, who only took up fencing in her 60s.

He said: 'Connie is an absolute inspiration. I don't know how she manages to keep participating at this level with very little funding so I wanted to help out.

'Who, knows, in a few day's time Norwich could have a World Champion.'

Mrs Adam said she was grateful for the help of Mr Blower.

She said: 'It's getting very difficult and I keep having to turn down competitions. The equipment is dear and it's also dear to enter competitions.

'I'm not planning on stopping. I keep thinking about winning another medal and I feel on top of the world physically.

'Fencing brings me into contact with a lot of younger people and keep on being inspired to try to keep up with the youngsters.'

To support the appeal, send a cheque made out to the Connie Adam Sporting Fund, to Mr Blower at 26 Morello Close, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7NF.