DISABLED climber Sianagh Gallagher has pledged to press ahead with carrying the Paralympic flame through York next month – despite breaking her ankle in a skateboarding accident.

The gold medal-winning York High School pupil has had to have a metal plate and screws inserted permanently in her ankle following the accident on Hob Moor.

Her mother, Jade, said the accident meant Sianagh, 15, from Acomb , would be unable to do any climbing for many weeks.

She would also be unable to go surfing when the family went on holiday to Cornwall next month.

“She’s been looking forward to surfing for the past six months, so she’s a bit down in the dumps about it,” she said. “Sianagh has never let her disability prevent her leading a very active lifestyle.

“Fortunately, she has just completed her major climbing competitions for this year, having just won a gold medal in the National Paraclimbing Series 2012 in London, in the upper and lower limb category.

“But she’s determined she will still join the welcoming party for the Paralympic Flame when it arrives in York on August 24 and carry it through the city.”

The flame, which will arrive by train from London, will be taken to the lawn of the Royal York Hotel where it will be split into five and given to representatives of Leeds, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Beverley and York.

The city’s flame will be paraded through the city on an open topped bus to the Energise Leisure Centre at Acomb.

Jade said she hoped her daughter would be given a wheelchair by York Hospital so she could get about on leaving hospital, as she was unable to use crutches because she had no left arm.