14-year-old to compete in bowling competition after generous donors raised thousands to send her

By Sarah Ward via SWNS

A 14-year-old girl will compete in a ten-pin-bowling competition after generous donors raised more than £2,000 ( $2,700) for her to go.

Melissa Ainslie has been bowling since she was six months old, and inherited her love of the game from her family.

Melissa, who already has 15 trophies, said: "I'm really happy everyone has tried to help, it's incredible.

"I'm going for my gran and the people who helped me to get there."

The schoolgirl was picked to represent Scotland at the European Youth Championships in April, which are being held in France.

"I am one of eight people picked to represent Scotland," she said.

Her family would have struggled to pay for her to go, so mom Kelly started a fundraiser for the plane tickets.

Fourteen-year-old tenpin bowler Melissa Ainslie who will represent Scotland at the European Youth Championships. (Katielee Arrowsmith via SWNS)

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Mom-of-two Kelly, 39, and dad Allyn, 42, were both keen bowlers but had to give up due to ill health.

The competition is on April 9 and Melissa will come back nine days later.

She is putting in three hours a week training at Deer Park Country Club in Livingston, UK, in preparation - after having 19 months with no bowling at all due to lockdowns.

"There was a competition in March 2020 and then 19 months off," she said.

"In September last year I went back.

"The competitions are all over Scotland, I've made a lot of friends through it. It's the first time I'll be going abroad to represent Scotland.

"I hope there might be more opportunities to go around the world."

Generous donors raised £2,655 ( $3,585) so Melissa can go to the competition.

She said she will be thinking of gran Anne Ainslie, 72, who died on October 25, 2020 and inspired her love of the sport.

"I learnt when I was younger and I got it from my parents and grandparents," she said.

"My grandparents got me into the league and it got more competitive.

"If there are lots of people around I just try to ignore everyone and focus.

"You've got to work out what styles works best and what you are comfortable with.

"I would like to do it professional when I'm older and go into coaching."