She’s one of Farnham’s sporting heroes whose triumphs at the Paralympics brought glory to the town.

Now, Rachel Morris is facing a new challenge — raising enough money to replace her specialised outdoor wheelchair, which is falling apart.

Rachel, 46, who has lived in Farnham all her life, needs to raise about £15,000 after her current chair is now held together by zip ties, duct tape and bungee cords.

She has used it since 2008, the year she won cycling time trial gold at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.

The multi-discipline athlete also won gold in the single sculls rowing at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, and claimed road race cycling bronze at the 2012 London games.

“I’ve got zip ties holding my chair together, I’ve got bungees holding it together,” she said. “It’s a nightmare and it terrifies me. If I don’t have it, I can’t get outside and do the activities I love.”

Rachel, who had a double amputation, uses a bespoke “active user” wheelchair. Unlike a standard hospital-style chair, it is custom-built to her measurements and provides the core stability she needs.

She has previously completed the West Highland Way in Scotland in the chair and gone wild camping across the country.

She also relies on it to travel along canal towpaths where she still rows, navigating uneven surfaces to reach the water.

“Without legs, I can’t use my body in the same way. I can’t just sit in a standard chair — I’d fall over. There’s no way I can do it,” she said.

She compares wheelchairs to footwear to help people understand the difference.

“The one I use outside, through mud and rough ground, is the equivalent of trail-running shoes or walking boots. It’s built for a purpose.”

An electric chair would cost more than £20,000, but Rachel said she wants to remain physically active.

“I want to physically do the movements myself,” she said.

Funding support for specialist wheelchairs varies widely. Rachel said government schemes will fund only a small proportion of the cost of a chair, with support differing depending on where someone lives.

“It’s a postcode lottery,” she said. “In Hampshire you might get more support. In Surrey, much less.”

Rachel is also a Girl Guide leader with the 1st Bourne unit and has helped young girls with disabilities get involved in guiding. Without a new wheelchair, she fears she will no longer be able to continue in the role.

Friends have launched a GoFundMe appeal to raise the £15,000 needed.

In a message supporting the campaign, her friend Collette described Rachel as “one of the kindest people I know, who will always go out of her way to help others”.

“To Rachel this just seems unreachable and a distant dream,” she said. “If you know Rachel, you will know she would be the first person to help you if you found yourself in a similar situation.”

Donations can be made via the GoFundMe page set up under Rachel’s name.