Cumbrian badminton star Lauren Smith is set to return to international action for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics.

She will compete in both mixed and women’s doubles for England in the TotalEnergies BWF Sudirman Cup in Finland next week.

Carlisle-born Smith will team up again with regular mixed doubles partner Marcus Ellis and women’s doubles partner Chloe Birch in the 16-nation tournament.

The Longtown star reached the quarter-finals in the Tokyo Games with her on and off-court partner Ellis.

The 29-year-old Commonwealth Games medallist is one of five Team GB players from this summer’s Games to represent England in Vantaa, in the week-long contest which starts this Sunday.

England are sending a 13-strong squad to Finland, which also includes Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, who were Great Britain’s men’s doubles pairing in Tokyo.

They will be joined by Estelle van Leeuwen, Callum Hemming, Steve Stallwood, Abigail Holden, Jess Hopton, Jess Pugh and Johnnie Torjussen.

The 16 teams have been drawn into four groups, with England in Group D with Japan, Malaysia and Egypt.

Nations compete in pool stage ties in singles and doubles, with the top two in each group progressing to the quarter-finals.

The tournament has been staged 17 times and was most recently won by China. England’s best result to date in the Sudirman Cup was a run to the semi-finals in 2007.