Cumbrian badminton star Lauren Smith secured a dramatic win in the first round of the All England Open Badminton Championships as she and partner Marcus Ellis triumphed against fellow English opposition in the mixed doubles.

Carlisle born Smith featured alongside Ellis, her on and off the court partner, against fellow couple Jenny and Gregory Mairs at 15.45pm on Tuesday, March 12 in Birmingham. 

A closely fought first game had seen Smith and Ellis claw the score back to 20-19, but the Mairs duo took the final point to go 1-0 up in a best of three format.

However, Smith and Ellis responded in impressive fashion, going 6-0 up in the second game and leading 11-4 at the break. 

And despite a fightback from the Mairs team, Smith and Ellis were able to take the second game 21-16, meaning that the next game would be the all-important decider. 

At the half way stage, the Mairs team led 11-9 but Smith and Ellis brought it back to 19-19. 

The drama of a Hawk-Eye call saw a match point switched from Jenny and Gregory to Smith and Ellis after the call was overturned, but they couldn't make it count and it became 20-20. 

However, Smith and Ellis secured their spot in the next round by winning the next two points, as the Carlisle-born star's drop shot deceived Jenny Mairs at the net. 

Smith and Ellis will face Indonesian duo Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja and Dejan Ferdinansyah on Thursday morning in the round of 16.