A TEENAGE para swimmer from Horwich has broken a 10-year-old British record.

Sixteen-year-old Luke Batty, who is part of the Bolton Metro Swimming Squad, has won several junior national events and awards and on Sunday at the Wigan BEST Future Stars meet he swam the 400m Individual Medley.

He was looking to have a go at going close to a British record of 5mins 36secs that has stood for more 10 years and went on to knock 10 seconds off that time with 5:26.

It is the latest achievement for the youngster who is targeting the Team GB Paralympics squad in 2024.

And BMSS coach Ric Howard says there is no reason why his success cannot continue.

Howard said: “Luke trains up to nine times a week and deserves all the success he gets as he works hard in training and is focused on his sport and achieving great things in the future.

“He is about to compete in another national event in December and has high hopes of going to future Paralympic Games, and will be working hard going into Paris 2024 and beyond.

“The club and myself as his coach are always proud of his achievements but this one seems like a real marker for much bigger things to come in his career.”

Batty attends Runshaw College where he is studying sport and exercise science, which mum Becky says he also wants to study at MMU where he will be able to continue with his swimming as the National Performance centre for para swimming is in Manchester.

She told The Bolton News: “Luke originally was into all sports and was spotted by an England talent officer for swimming aged eight and then classified at nine.

“He was put on the England Talent programme aged nine.

“He is still on this programme as well as being on the British Para Swimming Academy Squad which underpins the world class programmes.

“He hopes to move up on to the next programme when he gets his international classification soon.

“His ultimate aim is to make the GB squad for Paris 2024 and win medals at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

“His main inspiration is his coach Ric Howard who he has worked with since he was 11.

“Ric was a para swimmer himself who achieved a huge amount within the sport.

“He was thrilled to break the British record at the weekend and said it felt great and hopefully with lots of hard work there will be more to come.”