A PURPOSE-built swimming facility for children aged three to 11 has reached its 1,000th swimmer after having only opened in October.

Swim! in Winwick Quay was developed to give children the chance to swim in a fun and safe environment with member only access, small class sizes and specially trained instructors.

The first of its kind in the UK, swim! offers families in Warrington the opportunity to book a free lesson for their child so they can experience the programme, meet them team and take a tour

Director of swim! and former Olympic medallist, Steve Parry said: "I am so proud of everyone at swim! – we’re lucky to have an outstanding team of talented and dedicated people, who always go above and beyond to ensure that each and every child is given the best possible experience with us.

"I'm passionate that every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim and I really feel swim! has made an impact with this in Warrington. This is a very exciting time for us and I can’t wait for the team and I to continue the journey."

Rachael Armstrong, swim! manager added: "We never expected the programme to reach 1,000 swimmers so quickly and it just shows the clear demand for quality swimming lessons in the area."