A nine-year-old girl whose parents converted part of their home into a makeshift climbing wall has been crowned a national champion.

Lucy Garlick, who has been clambering up walls since she was just six, won the under-10s category at the British Mountaineering Club Youth Climbing Series in Edinburgh.

Her parents turned the loft of their home in Waltham Road, Carshalton, into a climbing room after realising their daughter had “the potential to do well” in the sport.

Natalie Garlick, Lucy’s mum, said: “I’m a little bit emotional, but very, very proud. We knew she had the potential to do well, but one slip in rock climbing and you’re out, making it a very hard sport for children.

“But Lucy worked really hard this year, and the outcome was fantastic.”

The Tweeddale Primary School pupil, who climbs at White Spider Climbing Centre in Kingston, was thrilled to win the award last month.

“I got to climb with really good climbers there, and I was really excited when I won,” she said.

“When I was younger my auntie said, ‘Why don’t we go rock climbing?’ to my mum, and we went.

“The best thing about climbing is that I love it.  “It doesn’t matter if it is a chair, a table, my loft, a wall, a door frame – I just want to climb.”