Swimmer and Paralympic gold medalist Ellie Simmonds enjoyed an Island visit this week.
The 22-year-old swimmer stayed at the Eversley Hotel, Ventnor — and was kind enough to chat to hotelier Karen Stritton and her ten-year-old daughter, Izzy.
“My daughter is a keen swimmer and a big fan of Ellie, so she was very excited when she found out she was staying at the hotel.
“Ellie was lovely,” said mum Karen, who lives on Park Avenue.
“Sadly, the weather was rubbish so Ellie couldn’t use the outdoor pool, but they enjoyed their time here, and hopefully they’ll be back when the weather is nicer.”
Ellie came to national attention when she won two gold medals, as the youngest British athlete, at the Beijing Paralympics.
She won another two medals at the 2012 London Paralympics, and she won another gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, when she set the world record for the 200m medley.