A paralympian from St Martins will switch on Oswestry’s Christmas lights this year after accepting an invitation from the town council.

Archer Mikey Hall was a member of the British team which excelled at this year’s games in Rio.

The 41-year-old was beaten in the quarter-finals of the Individual Compound Men’s Open.

Hall was the highest-placed Team GB member and finished a creditable seventh overall.

He said: “It was a shock and a great honour to be asked to switch on the lights for Christmas. I was approached by the town clerk Dave Preston, who said they were looking for a local hero to do the job.

“I don’t think of myself that way at all, so I was really humbled just to be considered. Since coming back from Rio, I’ve had a really warm welcome from local people, so to perform a community role like this feels brilliant.”

After serving  in the army for eight years, Mikey was left paralysed from the chest down after an accident on an army assault course in the year 2000.

He suffered a broken neck and fractured his spine in seven places, which left him confined to a wheelchair.

Assisted in his recovery by the Help for Heroes charity, in 2014 Mikey was successfully selected as a member of the British Armed Forces team for the Invictus Games and won an individual bronze medal.

Following his performance at this year’s Paralympics, Mikey  recently enjoyed a welcome home party in the Keys pub in St Martins, and insists he wants to return from the 2020 games with a medal. He added: “I hope I can inspire people to achieve what they want in life.”

Oswestry mayor, Cllr Paul Milner said: “We’re delighted that Mikey will be switching on the Christmas lights. 

“He has been a model ambassador for the Oswestry area who often supports the local community and made a lot of friends at the recent Community Games in the town.”

Oswestry’s Christmas switch- on will take place on the Bailey Head on Thursday, November 17.