David Smith (centre) has had to end his hopes of competing at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Britain's Paralympic gold medallist David Smith has been forced to end his bid to compete at Rio 2016 due to requiring surgery on a tumour to his spine.

The 37-year-old has previous had three surgeries on the tumour, with two taking place in 2010 as he was building towards London 2012.

Smith went on to compete in rowing at the Games, where he won the gold medal in the mixed coxed four event alongside Pamela Relph, Naomi Riches, James Roe and their cox Lily van den Broecke.

Following the success, Smith transferred to cycling in a bid to qualify for Rio 2016 but the tumour returned last September.

He  had been hopeful of delaying surgery in order to compete at the Games.

Following neural attack whilst training, however, Smith has been  informed the tumour had grown and he has now opted to have surgery next month.

David Smith had been hoping to compete in cycling at Rio 2016
David Smith had been hoping to compete in cycling at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

“The words didn't even have to leave my surgeons mouth, I knew in the moment all my dreams for 2016 had gone,” Smith wrote on his blog.

“For me it’s never been about winning medals in cycling, I just wanted to live and love the sport and in this one moment it was taken away from me and no matter how hard I fight there is nothing I can do about it.

“It has growing so much that if left it would crush my cord and I would stop breathing.”

As well as ending his hopes of competing at Rio 2016, Smith will also miss the 2016 International Cycling Union (UCI) World Para-cycling Championships in Montichiari in Italy next month.