DORSET rising star Amy Campbell-Wynter is aiming to start 2018 on a high and lead a family quartet to success at the Dunlop British Junior Open next week in Birmingham.

Campbell-Wynter, 12, is seeded ninth in the girls’ under-13 event for the world-class tournament, while her brothers Luca, Noah and James are also all entered into the boys’ under-15 event, which runs from tomorrow until Thursday.

The siblings will be one of 250 English players competing at the Dunlop British Junior Open, which features 650 players from over 30 nations up to under-19 level and due to the sheer size of the event, the tournament will be played over four venues.

She will head into the event in fine form after defying her age to win the Dorset under-19 girls' county title recently and in the same tournament the Campbell-Wynter siblings took five of 11 titles.

Campbell-Wynter, from Christchurch, said: “I really want to play well in this event, which is such a big tournament for me.

“I want to finish as high as possible. I am currently both the English and British number three at under-13 level and I really want to prove myself.”

Campbell-Wynter plays four to five times per week at Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre, Christchurch, where she also helps her dad, Charlie, coach.

Like many young English stars, she has a role model to look up to in Laura Massaro, the former world champion and England number one.

Campbell-Wynter said: “As she is English and has achieved so much in her career she is definitely my hero,

“I started when I was five-years-old. I love hitting the ball hard on my back hand and people say how good I am.”

Amy’s father, Charlie, said: “Right from the very beginning Amy showed something very special and even as her coach I'm not sure how she has been able to hit the ball so well on her backhand, from such a young age. Even adults focus on her forehand now!

"She has now been recognised by the English coaching team, and this will only quicken her progress, so going professional now becomes a stronger possibility but it's a long way off."

Lee Drew, England Squash’s national junior coach, said: “She has improved considerably in the last few months and is open to advice which will only benefit her moving forwards.”