BOLTON Metro Swim Squad continue to enjoy unprecedented success, with a record 27 swimmers qualifying for the ASA North West Regional Summer Championships.

Only the top swimmers in the North West compete in the regional gala, which will take place at Manchester Aquatics Centre over two weekends – April 29-30 and May 21.

As well as an increasing number of swimmers qualifying, BMSS members will also take part in more races than ever before – 98 compared with 66 last year.

More than a dozen youngsters have qualified to swim in more than one event, while Jake Reynolds, Isaac Reynolds, Gabriel Glynn, Anna Doughty and James Morrison have all qualified to swim in 10 or more races.

And for the first time ever, swimmers from the squad’s junior section have also made the grade. The youngest competitor is Mark Tompsett, aged 11, from Chorley, who has qualified to swim the 200m backstroke.

Head coach Mike Robinson said: "BMSS is going from strength to strength, with excellent swimmers in every age group across our squad.

"These results don’t just happen – they are the results of extremely hard work from dedicated children and coaches.

"This level of swimming requires huge amounts of resilience and commitment, and these children have loads of both.

"We are very proud of them."

The squad announcement follows the BMSS spring swimming gala.

Teams from as far afield as the Isle of Man attended the event at Darwen Leisure Centre.

BMSS swimmers out-performed their rivals, bringing home more than half of the gold medals on offer.

The club's members train almost every day in gruelling two-hour sessions before and after school.

They perfect their skills with the squad while also training and competing for their own clubs. The squad draws members from a number of local clubs, including Horwich, Chorley, Ramsbottom, Bury and Elton, and Bolton.

Unlike other squads in the North West, BMSS have no permanent base, training at different pools across the town, and receive very little council funding.

They are always looking for sponsors who can help their young swimmers put the town on the map.

If you can help, email Steve Howell at BMSS.CHAIR@outlook.com.