Decision on Invictus Games bid by end of July

Dr Jen Warren said it would be "fantastic" to see the games return to the UK

Birmingham will hear by the end of July if it has been chosen to host the 2027 Invictus Games.

It is bidding against Washington DC to stage the event, which was launched in London by Prince Harry in 2014.

The UK government-backed bid would involve Birmingham's NEC and could include eSports and a new team triathlon event.

Dr Jen Warren, a Warwickshire athlete who took part in the 2016 and 2017 games, said it would be "great for local athletes and great for UK participation" to have the games return to the UK.

The two cities, which were shortlisted in May, have been told the Invictus Games board of trustees is considering their bids.

The annual event was established as a sporting competition for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.

The dates of the 2027 games would depend upon the winning city, but Helen Helliwell, the CEO of the UK bid, promised "an amazing week" if Birmingham is chosen.

She added: "We want to use the platform of the games to improve opportunities for adaptive sport, arts and employment, enabling communities to thrive, both in the run up to the games and as a legacy from them."

'It changed my life'

Dr Warren, a former army doctor who was injured in 2008 in a skiing accident, said the games had been inspirational for servicemen and women like herself.

She said: "It changed my life, it inspired me to the best person I could be.

"It helped me re-engage with my life and my family, to enjoy life, not just get by."

Holding the event in the UK would be good for British veterans for a number of reasons, she said, as it would raise the profile of injured servicemen and women and would hopefully inspire more to take up sport.

She also said that from a practical point of view, it would make competing easier because "when you have a disability travelling can become difficult".