A 10 year-old girl will be stepping into the ring for her first competitive boxing bout.

Madison Salone-Howell, a Fairford Primary School pupil, will be fighting at the Emeralds Gym in Chippenham on Saturday.

She will be competing in an amateur skills fight which sees both fighters have their arms raised at the end which is designed to encourage beginners not to be too disheartened by defeat.

Maddy, from Hannington, has only been boxing since September at the Swindon Brunel Amateur Boxing Club and mother Kelli Salone is excited for the fight and believes it could be the start of a special journey for her daughter.

"I see her going a long way in the sport, maybe as far as the olympics," said Kelli. "Me and her dad were both boxers so it's in her genes, she even talks like a boxer because she's so confident.

"She's a girly girl. She's pretty, arty and loves singing. We took her boxing because we took our six year old who's more of a tomboy but Maddy was keen to go. She went and she had style, power and straight punches, she completely transforms."

Both of Maddy's parents have boxing experience. Kalli was Swindon's first female boxer 20 years ago and has previously fought in Las Vegas and briefly took up cage fighting.

She is also a coach and qualified referee who has ambitions of officiating in the professional game.