A 15-year-old roller skating star from Suffolk, who was given just a 50% chance of survival at birth, has won two medals at the British Skating Championships.

Matilda Powling, from Thurston, won two silver medals at the championships after competing in the youth category.

Matilda, who competes in Artistic Roller Skating, has been doing the sport since she was just two years old.

Before her birth, she only had a 50% chance of survival, after developing a diaphragmatic hernia, which had squashed her lungs and caused her heart to shift position.

East Anglian Daily Times: Matilda Powling at the British Championships. Credit: Marcus PowlingMatilda Powling at the British Championships. Credit: Marcus Powling (Image: Marcus Powling)

As soon as she was born at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, she was taken straight into intensive care and underwent an operation a few days later.

Despite this, Matilda grew up to be healthy and has now been skating for 13 years.

She said: "I enjoy the challenge of it.

"It's a lot of fun and you get to make so many friends along the way."

East Anglian Daily Times: Matilda on the podium with her silver medals. Credit: Marcus PowlingMatilda on the podium with her silver medals. Credit: Marcus Powling (Image: Marcus Powling)

Matilda had competed at the British Championships before but had never had a podium finish.

But she picked up two silver medals when the best in the country went to Great Yarmouth, where she trains with Retro Skating Academy, for the latest championships.

She said: "It was really great to win them.

"I have been working hard for a while so it is nice."

In November last year, she was also selected to represent Team GB in Prague for a competition.

East Anglian Daily Times: Matilda with her coaches, Glenn and Donna Wicks. Credit: Marcus PowlingMatilda with her coaches, Glenn and Donna Wicks. Credit: Marcus Powling (Image: Marcus Powling)

She said: "That was pretty scary.

"There was lots of people watching, it was live streamed as well, and the standard was really high with it being on an international stage."

She has thanked her dance company, Jessica Barber Academy of Dance in Bury St Edmunds, for helping her with her routines and skating.

With these two medals, Matilda is looking to compete again at the British Championships next year, and she said she would love to compete at European and World Championships in the future.

East Anglian Daily Times: Matilda at the British Championships. Credit: Marcus PowlingMatilda at the British Championships. Credit: Marcus Powling (Image: Marcus Powling)