One of Cumbria's Olympic Games stars has learned who her opponents will be in Tokyo.

Longtown's Lauren Smith is heading to her second Olympics later this month to compete in the badminton women's doubles and mixed doubles.

Smith and Marcus Ellis, the world number 8 pairing, are in Group B in Japan.

They will face Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, the third seeds, as well as French duo Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue and Canada’s Josh Hurlburt-Yu and Josephine Wu.

News and Star: Lauren Smith will partner Marcus Ellis in the mixed doubles in Tokyo (photo: PA)Lauren Smith will partner Marcus Ellis in the mixed doubles in Tokyo (photo: PA)

Smith and Chloe Birch, meanwhile, are in Group A in the women's doubles.

They will take on Japanese top seeds Sayaka Hirota and Yuki Fukushima, and also Indonesia’s Greysia Polii and Apriyai Rahayu, and Malaysia’s Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean.

It is a second Olympics for Carlisle-born Smith, 29 - a Commonwealth Games silver medallist - after her participation in the 2016 Games in Rio.

Badminton England, who hosted the draw at their Milton Keynes headquarters, say the Team GB players will travel to Tokyo next week, with competition starting on Saturday, July 24.

Click here to read an interview with Lauren Smith as she opens up on a challenging time in the national badminton set-up and her excitement for Tokyo.