ATTLEBOROUGH'S Danny Nobbs has suffered a nightmare preparation for the IPC World Championships and is confined to his bed up until competition time – but he's not prepared to lie down and admit defeat.

The 31-year-old shot putter arrived in New Zealand two weeks ago to prepare for an assault on the World Championships in high spirits after improving his personal best to 9.72m in winning the British Wheelchair Athletics Association Open in Stoke in June.

But just 48 hours after touching down in the southern hemisphere, the former Attleborough High School pupil was laid up in bed with a soft tissue injury in his back, writes Ben Baker, Sportsbeat.

He has been given the go-ahead to throw in his event on Wedensday morning, and with everyone else now ruling him out of the running Nobbs is hoping to thrive away from the spotlight.

'My preparation has obviously not gone according to plan and I haven't really been able to do nearly as much as I would have wanted,' said Nobbs, who works for the British team's sponsor, Aviva, in Norwich.

'I have tried to do some strength and condition stuff while in bed but obviously it isn't ideal.

'It looked like I wasn't even going to be able to compete but I was given the OK and now at least I know I am going to be competing and can just concentrate on that.

'My focus and targets for the competition have obviously changed but I feel now is that there is no pressure on me because nobody is expecting me to do anything.

'Ideally, I would have been looking for a medal but now I am just looking to go out there and see what happens.'

Nobbs finished 10th at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics and with London 2012 looming, he realises that his injury – while untimely for the World Championships – might be a blessing in disguise for his dreams in the capital.

''The Paralympics is around the corner and if I was to do anything to my body that would affect my chances of doing well in London then I would have been devastated,' he said.

'All of my training for years has been tailored towards winning gold at London 2012 and this was a hiccup in that.

'But in a strange way I am pleased this has happened now because I would hate for anything to ruin my chances of doing well there and hopefully I can now have a clean run towards the Paralympics.'

Aviva has supported British athletes since 1999. More details at aviva.co.uk/athletics