BRITISH gymnasts last night claimed they had been horrifically abused by coaches.

Kids as young as eight have allegedly been ­forced to go on diets and take strong painkillers.

Others are said to have been beaten with a stick, starved and dragged across the floor by their hair.

Catherine Lyons, 19, a former artistic gymnast, told ITV News: “We would get shouted at and screamed at, and get to the point of crying.”

Lisa Mason, 38, who took part at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000, said she was given voltarol and jabs so she could continue to train.

She added: “We pretty much popped voltarol from the age of around 12.”

British Gymnastics said it condemns any abuse.

It urged past or present gymnasts with concerns to tell its Integrity Unit.

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