The 16-year-old race ace is one of just six running stars from the North East, Yorkshire and West Midlands to be selected for the UK Athletics Heroes Scheme sponsored by Original Source.

All six athletes have been chosen because of their potential to develop into top class GB athletes.

For the project they will document their season's progress and give the public an insight into being young athletes, training schedules and their athletics/life balance which is rarely seen in the public domain.

The athletes will be given bursaries to cover training and travel costs and the ultimate hero will be selected at the end of the project.

Laura, the youngest of the six athletes, said: "It is a really nice project to do.

"It is something different and you get to meet other athletes."

And Laura has got her track and field season off to a flyer.

Last Saturday, the Lesbury youngster broke her 1500m record at the BMC Grand Prix in Manchester. Her new PB of 4.22 is the third fastest time over that distance in the country at U20 level.

Her 2008 middle distance success also continued in the 800m where she became the North Eastern Women's U20 champion at the North Eastern Championships last month. Her time of 2.08 was a PB.

The running star is setting her sights on the England Athletics U20 Championships in Bedford at the end of the month.