SWIM Bournemouth have become Southern Junior League champions for the first time since 2014 after a storming victory in the final at Littledown.

The club’s nine to 12-year-olds recorded 24 wins and 13 second places as they regained the title with a 55-point victory margin over 2015 and 2016 champions Plymouth Leander.

Local rivals Poole – the 2017 champions after a Swim Bournemouth points deduction led to a disputed result last year – came third just five points behind Plymouth.

Ten-year-olds Freddie Hodgetts and Halle Harris were both double winners for Swim Bournemouth.

Hodgetts won the 10yrs 50m backstroke and freestyle, Harris the girls’ 50m butterfly and freestyle.

In the same age group Hugo Young won the boys’ 50m butterfly.

Ruby Hindell and Elliot Ware secured a girl-boy double in the 9yrs 50m backstroke and were both also second in the 50m freestyle.

A similar winning double came from Georgina Hawkins and Jamie Workman in the 11yrs 50m freestyle.

In the 12yrs events, Arief McKenna won the boys’ 50m freestyle and Conor Cherrington the 50m breaststroke.

Individual runners-up also included Elizabeth Dawson and Oli Crowe in the girls’ and boys’ 10yrs 50m breaststroke.

Halle Harris stepped up an age group to come second in the 11/u 50m butterfly while Jamie Workman was runner-up in the equivalent boys’ event.

Eva Hourigan came second in the 11/u 50m breaststroke.

In the 12/u age group, Millie Sleeman and Arief McKenna came second in the girls’ and boys’ 50m butterfly while Ellie Brown and Conor Cherrington were second in the 50m backstroke.

The overall result qualifies Swim Bournemouth for next month’s South of England final, which doubles as a national semi-final.

The top four from that event will progress to the national final in November – an event which Swim Bournemouth last attended in 2012.

Arief McKenna, Harriet Fish and Ellie Brown – all ineligible to swim on October 7 because they’ll be 13 before the end of the year – received the league trophy from referee Jill Beard.

Swim Bournemouth coach Sam Woodward said: “It was a great gala with top racing from all teams and a wonderful atmosphere.”

Poole registered eight race wins and six second places on their way to third place.

Coach Jan Hutchings said: “This was the fourth year running that we’ve achieved a top three spot in the Southern Junior League.

“I’m proud of our young team.”

Result: 1 Swim Bournemouth A 242, 2 Plymouth Leander 187, 3 Poole 182, 4 Keynsham 159, 5 Swindon 142, 6 Severnside Tritons 131.

• Swim Bournemouth B team’s 10-year-olds provided all six wins as they took on four A teams in the B final at Swindon.

Polly Ghandour won the 50m breaststroke, Toby Lacey the boys’ 50m backstroke and Harry West the freestyle.

There were also three relay wins.

Result: 1Cirencester 172, 2 Exeter 165, 3 Bristol 136, 4 Trowbridge 135, 5 Swim Bournemouth B 125.