TYLDESLEY Swimming Club ended their 17 year wait to win the Central Lancs Junior Jubilee Shield at Bury Pool.

Tyldesley had competed against 14 other swimming clubs during the year and qualified for the Grand Final along with Crompton Classics, Bury and Elton and Stalybridge.

All four teams had finished within10 points of each other in the qualifying rounds and a close final was predicted.

Tyldesley started as third favourites on paper, but for the first time this season had all their swimmers available.

The swimmers were aged between nine and 13 and had varying swimming backgrounds, some had been at the club for nearly 10 years and others had been part of Pelican Centre's Learn to Swim Programme 12 months ago.

The pace was set in the second race when James Blenkinship touched home a very close first in the 25m backstroke.

In races five and seven Jodie Gittins and Imogen Bailey raced home to add to the wins and after 10 races Tyldesley led by one point.

Gittins, Bailey, Oliver Cope and the girls 13-year-olds freestyle squad then claimed more wins.

Over the next 10 races only Annie Holt got a first in the 50 Backstroke but the 11-year-old boys relay side stormed home to win.

After 30 races, Tyldesley led by nine points, and with a further four points were needed for victory.

In the final 12 races they only managed four firsts, Imogen Bailey, Kelsey Evans, the 13-year-old girls medley squad, and the girls Cannon freestyle squad all coming first.

A spokesman for the club said: "Every swimmer raced not just to win but for the best they could do for the team and the steady collection of points was holding Tyldesley's lead."