A TOP coach has welcomed moves to enhance the prospects of the region's swimmers.

Kevin Renshaw, whose pupils include Durham schoolgirl Stephanie Proud, who was selected for the January World Cup, spoke following a visit by Sports Minister Richard Caborn.

During his time at Durham University, on Thursday, the minister launched Durham University Aquatics (DUA) and announced his intention to back one of two bids for a 50-metre pool for the North-East.

Previously, swimmers such as Stephanie, 13, have left the area in search of better training, support and facilities - a trend which DUA hopes to reverse.

Operating at 11 swimming clubs, it aims to produce more young swimmers and provide better training than individual clubs are currently able to.

Durham University's director of sport, Dr Peter Warburton, said: "Durham University Acquatics will be one of the strongest clubs in the country.

"We aim to help produce swimmers capable of representing Great Britain in the Olympics."

Mr Renshaw, whose Chester-le-Street club is among the participants in DUA, said it will boost the chances of North-East swimmers.

"We want to provide an opportunity for swimmers to progress their swimming without leaving the area," he said.

"It's well documented that British swimmer Nicola Jackson left the area for Bath as we didn't have the opportunities then to keep people like her here.

"Durham Aquatics will change all that. Once a week all the top swimmers will get into the pool together to train."

Mr Renshaw said DUA members would make use of the 50-metre pool when it is established in Newcastle or Sunderland.