Annette Gregory may be small but her dreams are larger than life.

The 4ft 2in nursery nurse is hoping to make her mark in France next month and walk away with a gold medal at the 4th World Dwarf Games.

Miss Gregory, 29, of Bingley, has achondroplasia which causes severe shortening of the limbs.

She was adopted when she was just one year old by a family of normal height who have always supported her.

She said: "I've not really had to overcome prejudice. People do stare but you just get along with it, and when they say things I just let it go in one ear and out the other."

But the condition has never stopped Miss Gregory following her dreams and she already holds eight medals in events including shot-put, discus, javelin and power lifting.

The former Beckfoot Grammar School pupil has been taking part in the National Dwarf Athletics competition for a number of years but this is the first time she will compete internationally alongside 54 other people from England.

She said: "People come from all over the world - Germany, America, Denmark, Spain, Italy.

"It is amazing and great to meet people with the same condition and talk about their experiences.

"I am looking forward to competing and am hoping to have a ball.

"I think it is going to be a brilliant experience."

She regularly meets up with other small people through the Restricted Growth Association and said they are just like any other group of friends.

Miss Gregory needs to raise £1,000 to cover her expenses.

BonBons Nursery where she works has contributed more than £200 to pay for half her travel costs and is holding a sponsored paint and fancy dress and having a bouncy castle to help reach the total.

Half the money raised will go to Miss Gregory and the rest will be donated to the NSPCC.

Nursery manager Caroline Thompson, 25, said: "Annette is an asset to the nursery. When she initially came to the team we had a few reservations but there has never been any issue with any task that she has been expected of her.

"She puts her heart and soul into everything that she does and the nursery would not be the same without her."

As for the future, Miss Gregory said: "I just want to have a happy life, marriage and children."

The first international multi-sport games for dwarf athletes were held in Chicago in 1993 to give people with restricted growth a chance to compete on an equal footing.

To take part athletes must be shorter than four feet ten inches.

Ten countries compete in track and field events, shot-put, discuss, javelin, table tennis, swimming, basketball, football, volleyball.

Peterborough hosted the 1997 games and the 2001 games took place in Toronto, Canada.

To sponsor Miss Gregory, call BonBons on (01274) 592991.

For more information about the Dwarf Athletic Association UK visit www.daauk.org.