STARLETS from across south Wiltshire were handed a funding boost at Wiltshire Council's second Business and Sports Gala Dinner.

More than 20 firms pledged their support to roving athletes in the county by raising £28,000, which provides financial help in training, attending competitions, as well as paying for equipment and transport costs to regional, national and international events.

Eleven people from a wide-range of sports were awarded a £1,000 cheque at Thursday night's event in County Hall, Trowbridge.

Mountain Bike orienteering specialist Emily Benham, City of Salisbury's 400m sprinter Jake Ness and Tidworth-based triathlete Rebecca Hoare were the trio that were selected for funding.

Army officer Hoare recorded some impressive results in 2014, including a third place in the Ironman Lanzarote and qualifying for the World Championships in Hawaii, finishing sixth.

Up-and-coming Ness, ranked number two in European Youth, was selected for Team GB 4x400m relay squad in World Junior Championships in Eugene, Oregon, US.

Morgan's Vale's Benham, who trains and lives in Norway as a full-time athlete, became European Champion in 2013 and won

two silver medals at the World Championships in 2012/2013. In 2014 she became World Cup Champion, winning three consecutive races in the series, the first woman ever to do so.

Wiltshire Council Leader Jane Scott said: “I am absolutely thrilled we have managed to raise this much money.

“We like to set our sights high in Wiltshire and know that our local sports people need our support to help them to achieve their dream of representing the county and country on the biggest of sporting stages.

"A small amount of funding can help these athletes to go a long way towards achieving their goal."

Prizes and one-off experiences that were auctioned off funded the event.

Other grant recipients were James Brown (Paralympic cycling), Daniel Bethell (Paralympic badminton), Lauren Booth (Paralympic cycling), Hannah Brown (sprint canoeist), Laura Halford (rhythmic gymnastics), Sam Cutler (touch rugby), Stephanie Millward (swimmer) and Aaron Moores (swimmer).