A brave Chesterfield schoolgirl, born with a life threatening heart defect requiring  surgery, is now seen as one of the most promising football talents in the UK.

Megan Tinsley who attends Parkside is a rising star at Sheffield United's Football Academy and has the potential to play for the England Women's Football Youth Team.

However, unlike the boy's teams, Megan and her team mates are expected to fund their own kits and equipment which can amount to hundreds of pounds a season. There's also the travel costs between Megan's home, the training ground and match fixtures to find.

It's now hoped that the local business community can help by sponsoring Megan's training and development and helping her realise her potential.

Chesterfield's MP Toby Perkins is supporting the bid, saying: "When I heard about Megan's remarkable story and met her proud parents, Julie and Lyndon, I was taken aback. Megan is a fantastic football player and it's hard to believe that she underwent open heart surgery at just five years old. It is vitally important that the community gets behind such a promising talent. The opportunity is there for a local business or organization to sponsor Megan and her Sheffield United team mates and to make life that little bit easier for her parents. With a little support there is no doubt she can go all the way."

Megan's parents also hope someone can help. Her dad Lyndon commented "After what Megan has been through, we have to pinch ourselves when we see her play for Sheffield United Academy. All her coaches agree that she has the potential to reach the very top and hopefully, with Toby's backing and the help of a sponsor, she will be pulling on an England jersey before we know it."  

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