An athlete is working in a hotel to support her dream of competing in this summer’s Olympic Games.

Because there is not enough funding to support Team GB’s handball players, 31-year-old Yvonne Leuthold has taken up a part-time job at the Holiday Inn Express in Colliers Wood to earn money for her for accommodation and living costs.

Miss Leuthold, a lawyer from Switzerland who has been playing handball since she was 17, took advantage of the hotel chain’s flexible employment programme for athletes.

She said: “I still needed employment as, unfortunately, the financial situation of the British Handball Association isn't good enough to support the players, so we pay for our accommodation and living costs.”

Miss Leuthold previously played for the Swiss team but moved to the UK in June when she was invited to join the British team because her father is Welsh.

She lives with eight players from the squad in Crystal Palace Park and works at the Holiday Inn Express around her training.

Women’s handball was introduced at the Olympics in 1976 and is a contact sport involving players attempting to throw the ball into the opposing team’s goal.