Children play their way to safer swimming

SWANSEA youngsters will be getting the chance to take the plunge for a new kind of swimming lesson being introduced across the country by the Wales National Pool.

Starting with water-borne fun and games like chasing ducks, playing tag or nose-football, children get the chance to work their way up to become rookie lifeguards or even follow in the wake of the pool's Olympic and Paralympic stars.

Lessons are being introduced to coincide with the start of the new school year and Jane Draper, general manager of the Wales National Pool, said the scheme was designed to encourage a generation of youngsters to have fun and play safely in and around water.

Jane said: "This new approach is designed to put the fun into swimming and will encourage youngsters to develop their skills and hopefully a lifelong interest in swimming as a healthy activity and, for some, as a competitive participation sport as well.

"We've been piloting the programme for a number of months and so far it's been really well-received by youngsters and their parents," she added.

The National Plan for Teaching Swimming is being backed by British Swimming, the umbrella organisation for the sport in the UK.

The plan takes kids through 10 stages to help them gain confidence and learn to be safe in the water by playing games.

By the time they reach the upper levels of the course, youngsters have already developed some of the basic skills needed to help them develop their strokes effectively.

Photogarph: Wales National Pool, Swansea