JUBILANT Ledbury swimmers sang all the way home from the PGL Final at Worcester having fought off tough opposition to fulfill their aim of winning bronze medals in their first year in this league.

Team captains, Katie Rolfe and Thomas James proudly carried the Ledbury banner as they led the team procession around the pool for the presentations, whilst parents and club poolside staff gave them a very well deserved standing ovation!

Katie and Thomas also led the way in the water, both swimmers recording new PBs in their races, an achievement matched by 14 other team members.

The gala proved to be very exciting with the Worcester initially taking the lead ahead of Cheltenham and Ledbury being 4th behind Wyre Forest.

With some excellent performances by the 9-year-old relay swimmers George Bennion, Patrick Blake, James Middleton, Bradley Smith, Alex Allen, Kate Docherty, Emily Docherty, Josie Rycroft, Katie Batley and Jenna Clark, Ledbury managed to move into second place. The 9yrs boys breastroke and backstroke relay teams along with the girls breastroke team have been undefeated in all five rounds of this league.

Speeding tickets from both 10/u Medley teams plus Arron Almond, 25m fly, George Cusworth and Heather Farmer in the 25m freestyle and Amy Tyler and Amelia Watkins in the 25m breaststroke, cost the team a potential 42 points and they plummeted back into 4th position.

Other teams were also caught out and the lead dramatically changed over to Cheltenham whilst Ross-on-Wye and Droitwich closed in on Ledbury. Wins from Thomas Stokes in the 10/u breaststroke and the 12/u backstroke, Annabelle Wilce in the 11/u freestyle, William Spencer, 12/u breaststroke, Lucy Bennion, 13/u freestyle and Thomas James, 13/u backstroke, set hearts racing.

Pippa Collins, Amy Tyler, Rachel Lea and Lucy Bennion set a fine example of keeping nerves under control winning their (12/u) medley relay by a touch.

The final eight events were all freestyle relays with some very close finishes. By this time it proved impossible to keep track of the points. Going into the final race, the mixed cannon, selected from the fastest swimmers during the gala, the Ledbury team and supporters were hopeful that they had done enough to secure third place. Determined to fight to the last nine-year-old James Middleton was visibly nervous as he stepped on the blocks but over eager swimmers went before the signal and the race had to be recalled. After a nerve wracking second start he swam a great length keeping apace with the other five teams, Emily Docherty managed to pull away from Wyre Forest to give the 10 year olds, Thomas Stokes and Alison Pudge the challenge of advancing the lead.

With sound swims from Richard Chandler and Annabelle Wilce, Ledbury had Wyre Forest, Ross and Droitwich behind them and Cheltenham and Worcester within their sights. 12/u swimmers Luke Rycroft and Rachael Lea swam magnificently pushing the team into second place behind Cheltenham, handing over to Thomas James and Lucinda Houghton who gave it their all to hang on until the final touch. The pool was quiet as all the teams awaited the final results.

Worcester were winners with 225 points, Cheltenham 222, Ledbury 203, Wyre Forest 186, Ross-on-Wye 158 and Droitwich 147.

LADASC head coach Viv Jones said: "This was a fantastic achievement for the club, not just for the swimmers, who have showed great commitment but also for the entire coaching and management team who have worked so hard. It's a success we can all share and enjoy."