CHORLEY Olympic heroine Jeanette Brakewell is celebrating winning a silver medal which was awarded in controversial circumstances.

Horsewoman Jeanette secured the second Olympic silver of her career as she competed in the Great Britain equestrian three day event team in Athens last week.

The team originally thought they had won the bronze, but the German team which finished first was later disqualified, promoting Jeanette, from Brindle, and her three team-mates.

Her proud parents, Joe and May, returned to their farm in Oram Road, Brindle at the weekend after watching her compete in Athens and visiting her in the Olympic Village.

Joe said: "Jeanette is delighted with the way things went and thankful for all the support and encouragement the team received.

"She is not in possession of the medal as the team were presented with bronze at first, but the team manager is arranging for the medal to get to her." The French and US teams appealed against the original decision, together with the British team after the German rider Bettina Hoy was found to have infringed the rules and crossed the starting line twice.

Jeanette, who now lives in Melton Mowbray, won a silver in the same event at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. She competes with her 16-year-old horse, Over to You.

The 30 year-old has been riding since the age of six and attended Withnell Fold Primary School and St Michael's CE High.

She is now back home and at the weekend competed at an event in Scotland.

However, for Jason Queally, Chorley's other medal hope, who won a gold in Sydney, the Olympics ended in disappointment.

Jason of Whittle-le-Woods, competed in the 750m team sprint, but they were beaten in the first round by a strong German team who went on to take the gold medal.