West Cumbria is pinning its hopes on inspirational Paralympian Simon Lawson.

Simon, 34, of Maryport, flies out to Rio tomorrow and will compete in the wheelchair marathon – the last event of the games – for Team GB.

He said: “I have been overwhelmed at the support. People have come up to me in the street and given me money, cards or wished me well.”

Simon was speaking at Netherhall Sports Centre this week where he was receiving nearly £1,000, the proceeds of a sponsored bike ride organised by centre manager Brian Taylor.

David Tromans, headteacher of Netherhall School, joined the event and made his wife, Clare Telford, take part.

He said: “We wanted to support Simon. He is inspirational. That is why we have asked him to speak at our annual prize-giving this year.”

After visiting the sports centre, Simon went to the Hunday Manor Hotel to visit Workington Rotary Club. He was presented with £500.

Ken Kirkwood, of the club, said the money was to help with Simon’s racing chair maintenance.

Ken said: “We wanted to support Simon because, as far as we know, he is the first Olympian or Paralympian in our area. We know the family well and what he has done is just fantastic.”

Earlier this year, before his inclusion in the team was confirmed, money was already being raised for Simon.

A total of £3,000 was raised at an event at Grasslot Welfare Club in Maryport.

Kate Sanderson, one of the organisers, said: “Simon is a local hero. We wanted to support him whatever happened and we never doubted he would be chosen for Rio.”

While he is hugely grateful for the support he has received, Simon said he is not pressured by it.

His times would indicate that he could win a medal but nobody knows what can happen on the day.

The athlete missed out on London 2012 because of illness.

He was devastated at the time and said he experienced a horrible feeling of deja vu three weeks ago.

Simon said: “I had a virus. I thought this can’t happen again. Fortunately, I am fine now.”

While the Paralympics is the realisation of a dream, it is not the reason Simon started racing.

He was a talented motocross rider when he had an accident in 2001 which left him paralysed from the top of his chest down.

“If I had sat and thought, I could not have coped. I had always been fit because of the motocross and decided I needed to stay that way,” he said.

He became a regular sight on his recumbent wheelchair travelling between Maryport and Workington and started training as a serious athlete in 2010.