Blackpool athlete Shelly Woods has won a silver medal in her first race of the Beijing Paralympics.

The wheelchair racer came second in the 5000 metres this morning, in a race full of drama and controversy.

Shelly looked to be off the pace with just over a lap to go before a mass pile-up saw six racers collide and crash out of the race.

That left the Blackpool Council worker to power home in the silver medal position, behind Canadian Diane Roy, who took gold.

Shelly is also competing in the 800 metres tomorrow, the 1500 metres on Sunday and the marathon on September 17 in Beijing.