YOUNG swimmers gave themselves an early Christmas present when they clocked up national qualification times at a weekend gala.

Wear Valley Swimming Club welcomed 27 other teams, including one from Dumfries, Scotland, to the two-day event at Bishop Auckland.

Janet Alderton, the club's secretary and meet manager, said: "We have had a lot of good swimming with some excellent times. Quite a few of the swimmers, including two from Wear Valley, were celebrating getting national times which mean they can compete in the top competitions next year.

"The team from the club who ran the event have worked really hard. They were tremendous."

The top swimmers in each age group over the weekend were: Boys over 15, Jonathan Woon, from Newburn; 13/14, Lydon Harriman, Stockton; 11/12, Andrew Winspear, Stockton; 9/10, Joseph Richards, Moors.

Girls over 15, Emily Charlton, Morpeth; 13/14, Rachel Gray, Stockton; 11/12, Sophie Ballantyne, Sunderland; 9/10, Miranda Broadbent, Cockermouth.

Other results will appear in The Northern Echo's Local Heroes supplement on Friday.