NATALIE Jones bid an emotional farewell to the Paralympic Games and now prepares for life as a wedding planner – but not before she takes a well-earned break.

The 27-year-old, who is based in Chorley, brought a Paralympic career that has now encompassed four Games to an end on Saturday – Jones reaching the final of the 100m freestyle before finishing seventh.

Jones was scarcely expecting to make the final let alone finish on the podium – she had her moment at London 2012 on Wednesday when she won bronze in the 200m medley.

And so attentions turn to the future for Jones, who also finished seventh in the 400m freestyle at the London Aquatics Centre, and a potential new career planning weddings.

But first things first, Jones will now immediately take five weeks off when she plans to do nothing – not even decide whether she will compete at an international event before.

“It is a step too far to say that was my last international swim,” she said.

“I really don’t know, I wanted to get the Games over and done with first but it will definitely be my last Games.

“I have just been focusing on the Games and after the Games it will be trying to see what happens then.

“I am going to try and see if I can progress the wedding planning bits I have been doing.

“I have done a course and hope-fully I can get customers and clients off the back of it but I have got five weeks off now and that will give me time to chill and relax and see family and friends because I have neglected them for a bit.”

Jones, who won double gold at her second Paralympics at Athens 2004 and double bronze four years later at Beijing 2008, was at a loss to explain her emotional outburst.

She finished seventh in one minute 22.64 seconds, in her last ever Paralympic race won by American Victoria Arlen with fellow Brit Ellie Simmonds second and Jones unable to hold it together.

“I just had a bit of an emotional moment because it was my last race, it was really emotional,” she said. “Everyone was clapping for me and it was so weird but I was happy to have done that swim.

“It is my fourth Paralympic Games and for me to do four I am exhausted. It is really emotional. It really caught me by surprise.

“I am not bothered about the 100m freestyle.”