SERITA Shone has stepped up her bid to get to the British Championships but the Wey-mouth bobsleigh star still needs all the help she can get to compete in Austria next month.

Without high-performance funding, Shone, who won bronze 12 months ago, needs to raise around £3,500 to be in contention for a medal this year.

Sled driver Shone and her brakewoman Sian Huxtable have to enter the championships by February 24 so they face a race against time to find the money they need.

Shone has set up her own page on donation website FundRazr in an attempt to reach her target, but the 24-year-old has admitted she is finding the fundraising hard going.

“I’m trying to do what I can but it’s hard,” she said. “I need to raise about £3,500 to comfortably get all the equipment I need – a little bit less gives me basic equipment.

“I have to pay for the hire of a bobsleigh and its storage and transportation, a helmet and a suit.

“Then there are flights, accommodation, food and a hire car to get from the hotel to the track.

“I’m trying to work to pay for things and get my teaching qualification done. I haven’t had time to set anything up.

“It’s all down to money and unfortunately you only get funding at world class level.”

The British Championships run from March 3-8 in Igls, Austria, starting a little more than a week after the Winter Olympics in Sochi come to a climax.

And how Great Britain’s bobsleigh teams do in Russia could affect the sport, and Shone, in the future with the threat of UK Sport funding cuts looming should performances not be up to scratch.

*Log on to fundrazr.com/campaigns/fgPq0 to make a donation and help get Serita Shone to the British Championships.