Olympics pride for boxing star Cindy

SHE might not have been competing for Team GB but in Greater Manchester, Cindy Ngamba is 'one of our own.'

- ELLIE NG & STEPHEN TOPPING

The 25-year-old boxer was born in Cameroon but has lived in the UK since the age of 11, growing up in Bolton.

She has faced challenges obtaining UK citizenship, where she currently has refugee status. At one point, she was sent to a detention camp with her brother, Kennet, due to a paperwork issue.

As a lesbian, it would be unsafe for Cindy to return to Cameroon, where homosexuality is illegal. She has feared being deported as a result but at the college where she studied, Ngamba is recognised as a big part of the 'Bolton family.'

Bill Webster, principal of Bolton College, said: "We think she's part of Bolton."