CORSHAM'S golden girl Stephanie Millward is set to finish the year off in style after being recognised with an MBE in the New Year's Honours List for services to swimming.

The 35-year-old from Box, who was told she would lose control of her body and would be confined to a wheelchair after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was aged 17, defied the odds to become one of Team GB's most experienced paralympian swimmers.

Since then, Millward has gone on to claim five medals at London 2012 and two golds, a silver and two bronze medals at this year's Paralympics in Rio.

Speaking after the announcement, she said: "How exciting is this? It is amazing. You get a gold medal at the Paralympics and then you get an MBE from the Queen as well!

"I received a letter saying would I like to accept an honour from the Queen and I said of course I would! I got the news five weeks ago and I am so bad at keeping secrets - it was horrendous!

"It is not something I expected to get at all. Swimming is my job and you don't expect to get an honour from the Queen. I have been swimming forever and to receive this after 30 years of training is great."

The swimmer, who shared the news with her close friends and family earlier today, said that the honour was the dream end to her year, which saw more highs than lows.

"People keep saying 2016 has been such a bad year and of course it has been but for me it has been fantastic," she said. "This just goes to show that your dreams can come true - you just have to dream hard enough."