DORSET swimmers rounded off 2018 with a weekend of tough competition against some of England's best athletes.

Swim Bournemouth trio Ella Chown, Amy Brown and Drew McGregor were joined by Poole Swimming Club quartet Robbie Hemmings, Thea O'Keefe, Oliver Fairman and Jazz McCrea at the Swim England Winter National Championship in Sheffield.

Bournemouth Collegiate School swimmer Kayla van der Merwe also made the trip north and finished ninth in the 100m breaststroke, setting a British junior record in the process.

Poole star McCrea performed well against a strong field to take seventh in the 50m butterfly, clocking a Dorset senior record of 27.17. In the 50m freestyle she placed 13th with a club record time.

Chown led the charge for Swim Bournemouth with a personal best and junior silver medal in the 100m individual medley. She also raced to personal bests in the 200m individual medley and 100m butterfly.

Team-mate Brown secured personal bests in the 100m breaststroke and 100m individual medley.

McGregor provided strong performances in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley.

Four Poole Swimming Club records were claimed by Hemmings in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke and 400 individual medley.

Fairman added a personal best of his own in the 50m backstroke, while O'Keefe swam her second-best time in the 800m freestyle to place 25th and her third-fastest 400m freestyle to finish 31st.

Poole Swimming Club coach Barry Alldrick said: “The great thing about this meet was how professional the swimmers were with preparing for races and getting on with their business without too much drama. "There are of course areas to work on in and out of the pool, but it was an enjoyable competition that sets these guys up ready to battle into the British Championship in April and the end of season summer meets.”

n Another group of Swim Bournemouth athletes powered to a haul of medals at the City of Bristol Level 2 Open Meet.

Halle Harris claimed top female swimmer at the event after winning nine golds (200m, 100m and 50m butterfly, 200m and 50m backstroke, 100m and 50m freestyle, 200m individual medley and 50m breaststroke) and one silver (200m breaststroke).

Hot on her heels, Connor Cherrington claimed eight golds (200m, 100m and 50m breaststroke, 400m and 200m individual medley, 100m and 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke) and a single silver (50m backstroke).

Success also came from Jamie Workman with gold in the 100m butterfly and Minnie Barratt with a win in the 400m freestyle.

Matthew Workman completed the winning haul with gold in the 50m backstroke.

A third Swim Bournemouth team delivered 25 wins at the Yeovil District Level 3 Open Meet.

Golds came from Grace Camm (200m and 400m freestyle), Mia Dalkin (50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke), Ruby Hindell (200m and 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle), Gabriel Knight (400m freestyle and 100m individual medley), Toby Lacey (200m and 50m breaststroke, 200m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 200m individual medley), Max Lanning (200m and 100m butterfly), Luca Parkes (50m butterfly), Elliot Ware (100m and 50m freestyle), Harry West (100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke and 100m fly) and Cameron Wilcocks (200m and 100m breaststroke and 100m backstroke).