DENHOLME weightlifter Rebekah Tiler boycotted the British Championships in protest at cuts to her funding.

The former Bingley Grammar School pupil was due to compete in the women's -69kg category at Coventry's Ricoh Arena yesterday.

But the 18-year-old pulled out, with a statement on her Twitter account reading: "Sorry guys won't be at the British this year on strike till some funding is found. British Weightlifting thanks for messing my life up."

UK Sport cut all funding for British Weight Lifting (BWL) for the four-year cycle building up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, deeming that the sport did not have credible medal chances.

Other sports such as badminton, archery and fencing suffered the same fate.

Sport England continues to support BWL but that funding is ring-fenced for the development of the sport at grassroots level. A small budget from Sport England has been allocated to support the elite squad ahead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Tiler, who had even called for spectators not to buy tickets for last weekend's national event, complained of poor accommodation and a lack of physiotherapy treatment in the build-up to the Championships.

Her strike has provoked a mixed reaction on social media, with Olympic boxing champion Audley Harrison among those offering messages of support.

The former super heavyweight champion, who won gold in Sydney back in 2000, tweeted: "Keep going Rebekah ... boxing was in the same mess for commonwealth games 98, but I wouldn't take NO for an answer, FUND ME (look now)."