Boxer 'overwhelmed with support' after title win

A paramedic says she is "overwhelmed with the support" she has received after being crowned the the new Commonwealth Bantamweight Boxing Champion.

Megan Redstall, from Westbury in Wiltshire, secured a unanimous victory to claim the title in February, while working full-time as a paramedic for the South Western Ambulance Service.

Following the win, she says she hopes to transition to boxing full-time, while keeping her paramedic work up one day a week.

Redstall, who is coached by former Malmesbury boxer Joe Hughes, added the additional attention had actually helped her in caring for her patients.

"For the first time last week, someone actually knew who I was," she added.

"When you can make that common ground, you can make someone feel better just by talking to them.

"These old chaps that have been in the army, they always box in the army. So we somehow get chatting about that, and everything settles, and [you build] that good rapport with your patient."

Redstall said her new-found fame had affected her work in other ways as well.

She said when she took her new belt into work "everyone was just 'Can I hold it?' So the support has been amazing", she said.

"It was actually kept in the manager's office. People were going in and kept sending me photos with the belt while I was out on out on jobs."

Hughes believes that provided Redstall is given the right opportunities, further championships will follow.

"She could win a world title this year if she gets the opportunity. Her style is very good for the pros and she moves very well," he said.

"There's obviously very big things on the horizon for her and I just really hope that Megan gets the shots that her ability deserves."

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.