The 48-year-old has been granted a secondment from her role as community sports manager at Siddal Moor Sports College meaning that she will return to the job when the London 2012 Paralympics draw to a close in September next year.

Whitehead said: "I applied for the job because of my love of handball.

"I have been involved with the sport and the British Handball Association for many years and it is definitely getting bigger, particularly on the continent.

"In Europe, handball is the biggest participation sport for girls and women and the second biggest after football for men, so it is very important on the world stage.

"I am very excited about the job and being given this chance to do what I can for the sport.

"It is honour to be a part of the Olympic Games when we have them in Britain.

"School have been fantastic in granting me this secondment and I am very grateful for all they have done."

Whitehead will now spend the next 18 months working at the London 2012 head offices in Canary Wharf, although she plans to return home to her husband and two children in Ramsbottom at weekends.

Whitehead first worked for British Handball when she was event manager for the highly-successful Four Nations Tournament in Sheffield in 2008.

She then went on to hold a similar role on the team which planned events at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London, the Echo Arena in Liverpool and the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.

Events she has planned include several 2010 women's European Championship qualifying matches as well as the four-team 2012 men's European Championship.

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