AFTER a successful start to Braintree and Bocking Swimming Club's season they had further joy as they headed to the Dave Warriner Open Meet in Basildon.

On his occasion, the club took some of their younger swimmers, with some as young as seven years old.

Two of the club's first-time competitors - eight-year-old Josh Parker and Vincent Coombes, who is just seven, both claimed gold medals in their age groups in the novice 50 metre freestyle.

Other gold medals came from Sophie Clerkin for the 50m butterfly, with a two-second personal best (PB), and then in an amazing 50m freestyle in under 32 seconds, while Sophia Milson swam a very powerful 50m butterfly in under 35 seconds.

Nancy Neave took the 50m backstroke, Thomas Underdown claimed the 50m breaststroke, Rosie Henn also took the 50m breaststroke with a two-second PB and Charlotte Hooks won her 50m breaststroke.

Silver medals then came from Jamie Hartnup in the 50m and 200m freestyle events, Neave in the 200m freestyle, Hollie Heighes and Clerkin in the 50m breaststroke, Mia Macklin in the 50m freestyle, Ellie in the 50m butterfly and Callum Digby in the 50m butterfly with a four-second PB.

Bronze medals also went to Digby, Macklin and Clerkin for the 200m freestyle and Ellie and Morgan Foster in the 50m freestyle.

Underdown claimed a 50m backstroke bronze and Robert Elliston and Neave were third in the 50m breaststroke, while Milson swam a sub 40-second 50m breaststroke.

Oliver Preece, who has been back swimming for just four months after being out for two years, had a full day of PBs.