Oxfordshire's Gail Gilkes was at the heart of England’s women’s lawn bowls team, who won three medals at Glasgow 2014, writes STUART WEIR.

Gilkes, a retired police officer who lives in Benson, is the women’s team manager.

The Oxford City & County member has had an illustrious career in the sport, starting as a junior international and then playing for England seniors from 1997 to 2009.

After being Junior England manager and assistant team manager at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, she was given the top job this year. Her duties are wide-ranging.

She said: “I select the team, coach, do admin and generally assist the players when they are on the lawn. “I am also responsible for developing the younger players.”

She described the experience of the 2014 Commonwealth Games as “fantastic”, but admitted that she had seen little of the village other than the food hall.

“We tend to be at the lawn by 7.30 or 8am and often don’t get back until 9pm,” she added.