BADMINTON starlet Brooke Stalker has been offered a place on a prestigious scholarship programme after serving up more Continental success.

The 13-year-old, who will travel to Gniezno, Poland, to compete for Scotland at the Under-17 European Championships between August 30 and September 7, picked up three medals recently – two of them gold – at the Under-15 Bulgaria International.

At the event in Haskovo, held between July 12-14, the Queen Anne High School pupil claimed winner's medals in both the mixed and ladies' doubles, and bronze in the singles, in an age category one year above her own.

The talented youngster has been offered an elite badminton scholarship package to study at The Webber Independent School, in Milton Keynes, which boasts a number of England's top junior players.

Led by ex-England international Sara Sankey, a three-time Commonwealth Games gold-medalist who also represented Great Britain in the women's doubles at the 1992 Olympics, the programme was established in 2016 and offers up to 20 hours of badminton a week, in addition to study.

Brooke's proud mum, Karen, explained: "It's always just been for English people but Sara's opened it up and has seen the potential in Brooke. She, with the school, has a good working relationship with Badminton Scotland so Brooke could train through the week, come up at the weekends and continue her training and competitions in Scotland.

"It's a fantastic opportunity and one not given to many. We met with Queen Anne and they've kept the door open for her, so if it doesn't work for her, she can return to Queen Anne.

"We're going to give it a shot. It's a big change but she wants to pursue her career in badminton."

The programme runs for three years, and Brooke said: "It came up and I said I'd go straight away.

"My badminton didn't finish until 10pm here sometimes, so I think it's going to be a different environment and be more structured."

On her Bulgarian success, she continued: "It felt good. You play people in Scotland you think they're good, and then you go to Europe and then it's something else. You've just never seen it before."

As well as the under-17 Europeans, Brooke is preparing to compete in under-15 events in Croatia, Sweden and the Netherlands as she bids to make the Badminton Scotland squad for the Under-15 European Championship, which will be held in France in February.

She's also to compete at under-19 and senior level in competitions at home, and added: "I'm aiming for older age groups now. I'm used to it – I've been moving up all my life – and they're difficult, but you don't have any pressure on you."