Linda Garner is glad she went to Specsavers.

Otherwise the 44-year-old, who is an optical assistant at the company's Five Lane Ends store in Bradford, would not have been able to afford her place in the Great Britain archery team for the European Indoor Team Championships in Spain later this month.

Greengates-based Garner explained: "We get very little funding in my branch of the sport and I had to turn down a place in a competition two years ago because of the cost.

"My last international competition was in Turkey four years ago and it cost me over £1,000 to compete there."

However, after hearing of her financial plight, her manager Tony Walsh raised over £500 from a sponsored run last Sunday by completing 80 laps of the track at the Dragons Fitness Club in Yeadon. Bharat Phakey, director of the Five Lane Ends store, also chipped in with a £100 donation.

Garner, who is a member of Apperley Bridge-based Bronte Archers, said: "My flight and accommodation are being paid for this time but we have to have two of everything as far as our equipment goes in case anything breaks.

"A new bow costs £700 but the price rises to over £1,000 when ancillaries are considered. I have also had to buy a specially- adapted carrying case in order to get through airports."

Garner, who has been competing nationally since 1998 and internationally since 1999, said: "The event is at Jaen, about 60 miles from Malaga. We practice for two days before our equipment is inspected and the competition runs from Wednesday, March 15 until the following Saturday."

Garner competes in the ladies' compound class, where the bows are on pulleys and magnified sights are allowed.

"You don't have to be as physically fit to compete in this class compared to the recurve bows, which are used in the Olympics," she explained.

"Nevertheless, there is something like 48lb of pressure on my fingers, which the pulleys then take down to about 20lb, but a lot of whether you are successful is down to mental ability and experience."

Garner is fortunate Bronte have a dedicated indoor range.

She said: "I have use of that as and when I need it, which is Sunday evenings and on Tuesdays, when I practice from 10am until about 5pm.

"But I also go to Savile Club at Mirfield on Friday nights and my partner Neil Crickmore, who runs Aardvark Archery shop in Rodley, helps me out where he can."