A YOUNG climber from Okehampton has shown off her exceptional climbing skills by winning an indoor climbing competition.

Emily Vandendorp, a student at Okehampton College, proved her mettle when she recently came first in Plymouth Life Centre's birthday boulder bash competition.

As well as climbing at the Life Centre and on Dartmoor, Emily visits the Barn Indoor Climbing Wall at Milton Abbot. The barn offers the chance for youngsters to do boulder climbing, traversing the climbs safely with no need for ropes. These skills were on show during the Life Centre competition.

Emily's uncle Tony Rudall said: 'Climbing is not an Olympic sport but it is wonderful exercise. Emily now has a slim, muscular physique, and although she has competed at national level she will not be climbing the famous mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

'She does, however have a means of keeping fit, meeting new people and a hobby for life.

'This is, perhaps, the Olympic hope for the future.'