The successes of Olympians from North Yorkshire in the Paris Games have been heralded as an inspiration and show how the power of sport can transform lives.

Team GB ended the world’s largest sporting showcase with an impressive tally of 65 medals, including 14 golds.

The total matches the team's medal haul from London 2012 and is the joint third highest for Team GB at a single Games behind Rio in 2016, which saw 67 medals, and London in 1908, when 146 medals were won.

Among the Olympians from North Yorkshire who picked up a medal was Great Ayton’s Charlie Tanfield who won silver in the cycling team pursuit.

Lottie Fry, who is from Scarborough, won two bronze medals - the first in the team dressage and the second in the individual competition.

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And Jack Laugher, who is from Harrogate, secured bronze in the synchronised three-metre springboard diving.

Council leader, Cllr Carl Les, said: “To compete on a global stage and come away with the success that our Olympians have is truly inspiring.

“We are so proud of all of the athletes who competed in the Games in Paris, but especially those who are from North Yorkshire.

“Their endeavours are remarkable as they have shown such commitment and talent to be at an Olympic Games, and they will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of athletes.”

Jack’s efforts from the diving board in the Aquatics Centre were marked back in his hometown, where fellow divers gathered at the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre to watch on television as he competed in the individual three-metre springboard final.

While Jack was not able to repeat the success of the synchronised event, young divers still claimed that he was an inspiration to them.

Georgia Marsh, aged 12, said: “A couple of months ago he did a session with us, and we tried on his medals. It was really nice to meet him and know he started from the same place we did.”

And Lauren Brunskill, also aged 12, added: “If you are a kid and you want to start diving, just go for it because it such fun, and to think that if you keep going you could end up like Jack and be at the Olympics and be on TV.”

George Hardwick claimed that knowing Jack had trained at the leisure centre made the dream of competing at the highest level seem more achievable.

The 12-year-old said: “It’s so cool to know that someone who is now diving in the Olympics has trained at your pool and that it’s great to feel that you have someone from here, it’s just awesome.”

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The head diving coach at the leisure centre, Albany Thompson, 23, is a friend of Jack and said he is still a regular visitor to the venue.

She said: “It is amazing seeing him competing. We are a big community here and in diving and he is one of my friends. It is amazing to see how he has progressed over the years and knowing he has come from this club is even better.

“It is surreal seeing him on television competing in the Olympics, and him being there in Paris is massively inspirational.

“Some of the divers had never heard of diving before they saw Jack compete. He still comes over and visits sometimes - he came in January, spoke to some of the divers here and got in the pool with them.

“I can see some of the young divers here have so much talent and 100 per cent they could be future Olympians.

“His story has had such an impact on me and all the divers here. He is their inspiration I would say to any youngsters who have watched Jack at Olympics and are interested in diving to just go for it, come here, get in the pool and give it a try.“

The Paris Olympics came to an end on Sunday, 11 August, in a spectacular closing ceremony at the Stade de France.

The next Games will be held across the Atlantic in Los Angeles in 2028.