A Huntingdonshire boccia star has returned home from the European Para Championships with a silver medal representing Great Britain.

Papworth Everard's Will Hipwell contributed to helping Boccia UK return from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with six medals during the tournament, which spanned from August 8-20.

The six-medal haul is double what was secured two years ago at the European Championships in Seville and meant that Great Britain won the most medals of any other nation at the tournament, despite not winning a gold.

The Hunts Post: Boccia is a Paralympic sport, related to Bowls, in which the competitors throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball onto the court with the aim of getting closest to a 'jack' ball.Boccia is a Paralympic sport, related to Bowls, in which the competitors throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball onto the court with the aim of getting closest to a 'jack' ball. (Image: Boccia UK)

Will Hipwell juggles competing in the Paralympic sport of boccia with full-time work as an IT technician at Papworth Trust and won his silver medal as part of the BC1/2 team.

BC1/2 is a classification where all players compete in wheelchairs due to severe coordination impairment affecting both legs and arms. 

Alongside Will, the team comprised Eastleigh star David Smith OBE and Larne's Claire Taggart.

The team competed impressively but were unable to overcome the hosts, the Netherlands, in a tight contest.

Smith, captain of the trio, said: "It was just one of those games. We had an opportunity in the first end when I thought we were going to score three, and we ended up losing three.

"It was just the roll of the balls after that. Boccia is like that sometimes.

The Hunts Post: Will and his team celebrated their silver medal success and taking another step closer to the 2024 Paralympics.Will and his team celebrated their silver medal success and taking another step closer to the 2024 Paralympics. (Image: Boccia UK)

"They had the crowd on their side, which probably helped, but we played well.

"We will keep pushing as we want to get gold when we can in tournaments, but team sports are quite unpredictable."

READ MORE: Team GB boccia star gets season off to a flyer with double silver medal triumph

Performance director Greg Baker said that doubling the medal haul from the previous European Championships demonstrates the progress Boccia UK is making.

The Hunts Post: Will Hipwell at the World Champs 2022.Will Hipwell at the World Champs 2022. (Image: Boccia UK)

"Winning six medals here in Rotterdam and managing to convert all our bronze playoffs into medals shows a really good performance from the squad," he said.

"It's been a really good positive experience with the athletes enjoying the multi-sport format and that Paralympic Games-type feel of event.

It's given us vital experience ahead of Paris next year, especially for our newer, less experienced players in the squad."