YOUNG table tennis starlet Leanne Stephen will be jetting off to Delhi next month after clinching a place on the England Commonwealth Games team.

The 21-year-old from Scartho will be taking on some of the world's top Paralympic table tennis players at the four-yearly event in India.

Stephen, who has cerebral palsy, is a member of the GB Paralympic training group for 2012 based in Sheffield, and can't wait to test her skills against the Commonwealth's best at Delhi's Yamuna Sports Complex.

She said: "It was a really big surprise when the head coach told me that I'd been selected for the Games. I didn't expect it all.

"I was a bit nervous as well because it's going to be the biggest competition I have ever competed in."

"A lot of the people I will come up against in Delhi will be new to me because I don't play against many of the Commonwealth countries when I compete internationally.

"I haven't been to Delhi before either, so that will be great."

Already ranked number one in the UK Under-21 age group and third overall, Stephen is hoping her previous international experience and intense training regime will give her a fighting chance of a medal.

"I have played in two European Championships and in a few international opens as well, and I also competed in the World Championships for people with my disability in 2005," she said.

"I'm training three times a week in Sheffield with the GB coaches now and then once a week in Hull with a private coach.

"I've also got a training camp to go on in Slovenia, which is the week before we fly out to the Commonwealth Games."

The youngster's efforts were given a further boost when she was named as one of 35 young athletes to be given a bursary award as part of the Jaguar Academy of Sport scheme.

Representing the next generation of British sporting talent, the chosen athletes are aged between 14 and 24 and represent a total of 30 sporting disciplines, all of which are Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Although she is already supported by local company Five Star Fish, this award will help Stephen with the cost of being an international competitor and give her a greater chance of achieving her ultimate goal – a place at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

"It's a grant given out to certain sports-people to help with things like equipment and training," she explained.

"At the moment my mum and dad pay for everything, which is quite expensive because I have to travel to Sheffield and Hull for training, and pay expenses for all the competitions I enter – this grant will make a huge difference and hopefully help me improve.

"Longer-term, I definitely want to play in the 2012 Paralympics, especially as they are here in this country.

"Most athletes want to say that they have competed in a Paralympics or Olympics and, in front of your home support, it would be amazing."