DOUBLE Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes visited the North- East yesterday to inspire the next generation of sporting hopefuls.

The former middle distance runner visited Gateshead College where she is launching her Kelly Holmes Education Programme, which she hopes will “motivate and inspire the students in the college and move them up the sporting ladder”.

Speaking at the launch, the 42-year-old said: “I met the principal a few months ago and I liked the enthusiasm and commitment that this college has towards their students. I hope that my programme can add value to the current one.”

Dame Kelly was joined by Olympic goldmedallist boxer Nicola Adams and Alex Danson, who won bronze with the women’s hockey team in London.

Boxing hero Adams witnessed the potential that the sports academy already holds after overseeing a boxing master class.

She said: “The students have been really good, there’s a few of them that have real talent so I’ll probably be seeing them in the future.”

More than 400 students were at the launch.