Ashford sprinter Nick Leavey admits he is "heartbroken" after injury ended his dream of a place at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The former Ashford AC member was a silver medallist as part of the British 4x400m relay team at the European Indoor Championships in Turin in 2009 and in Paris last year.

He also helped the English team to a Commonwealth Games bronze in the relay in New Delhi in 2010 and was English 400m champion the same year.

However, Leavey has battled with a tendon injury in his left hamstring for the last 12 months and despite returning to full training just last month, the sprinter suffered a set-back which has ended his dream of competing at his home Olympics and could spell the end of his athletics career.

The 25-year-old (pictured) said: "I am devastated. It looks like 2012 is over for me before it even started.

"It first went a year ago but I returned to training in September but it went again at Christmas. From then on, I’ve never worked so hard in my life and I came back to training a couple of weeks ago and it went again.

"I’ve had treatment on it and I was desperate to be able to get back to fitness and form before the Olympic trials but that’s not going to happen.

"I am pretty heartbroken. Gutted, really. It’s a difficult time.

"I started the season so well and was in such good shape. I had a shot and it makes it even more difficult to take."

Leavey says he is now at a crossroads in his athletics career, with some difficult decisions to make.

He said: "I’m not that young anymore and if I come back from this it’s going to be two years since I raced competitively. Realistically I don’t know if I can make it back.