Olympics 2024: Bolton boxer Cindy Ngamba's inspiring friendship with 'Miss GB' helps bid for gold

Cindy Ngamba has made a home for herself in the North West after moving to Bolton from Cameroon as an 11-year-old seeking a brighter future.

As a sporty youngster her journey in boxing began at Bolton Lads and Girls Club and has now taken her to the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she's made history by becoming the first boxer to represent the Refugee Olympic Team.

As she goes for gold in the French capital, Cindy can draw upon the support and friendship from Liverpool's "Miss GB", the London 2012 Olympian and two-weight boxing world champion Natasha Jonas, who she fondly calls her "boxing mum".

Cindy says: "Natasha Jonas has done a lot for me, shadowing with me and giving me lots of great advice."

Natasha says: "I'm probably old enough to be your boxing mum which is a liberty!

"Obviously Cindy is now on that Olympic team and the spas get better and better because I'm now trying to catch up with Cindy!"

The Olympic hopeful's path has been fraught with challenges. Since leaving Cameroon, she has endured detention camps and schoolyard bullying.

Unable to return to her homeland where being gay is illegal, Cindy trains with Team GB boxers and is hoping for her British citizenship to come through next year.

Cindy says: "I love every human in the world and if people can just see me as, I really don't like the world but I'm going to us it - role model."

Natasha says: "It's great she's here and she can be who she wants to be. She's got so many fans and friends because of the person she is.

"The politics will say she's part of the Refugee Team but she's one of us in GB."

Promoters are already showing interest in Ngamba, foreseeing a bright future for her as a professional boxer. For now though her focus is fully on bringing an Olympic medal back to Bolton.