An opticians has leant its support to the Pembrokeshire County Swimming Club, by sponsoring its elite performance squad for the year.

Specsavers in Haverfordwest has given £800 to Pembrokeshire's elite performance squad, the umbrella club in the Aquatics Pathway overarching the county's five development clubs, so that the team has branded kit to wear when travelling to international training camps and competing in national championships throughout 2015.

The squad, made up of 19 swimmers of 12 to 18-year-olds, first donned their Specsavers tracksuits when travelling to Fuerteventura as part of an intensive week-long warm weather training camp.

A number of the elite performance squad's swimmers are also in line to qualify for the 2015 British Nationals in Sheffield later this year.

The squad currently trains up to 16 hours a week in water with a further dry land fitness programme to keep motivation and fitness levels high. The squad is led by senior coach, Craig Nelson, and his assistant Sam Jones.

Mr. Nelson said: "As a coastal county, swimming is seen as a necessity and the Pembrokeshire County Swimming Club allows young people to take their first tentative strokes in the water and foster their swimming skills. It's certainly a big achievement when members of our squad then go on to represent us as part of the Wales squad and compete at a national level.

"We're very thankful for the support and commitment of the team at Specsavers in Haverfordwest - squad sponsorship is vital for us to be able to ensure the team is kitted out in the best sportswear and it certainly helps the children to enjoy the fun while in a competitive environment."

Paul Skoczek, director of Specsavers in Haverfordwest, said: "Our sponsorship of the Pembrokeshire elite performance squad really aims to help nurture a lifelong involvement in sport for our local young swimmers. We hope that for members of the squad, knowing that a local business is not only showing an interest in their development of the sport but also sponsoring the team, it will help to encourage and motivate them through their demanding training programme.

"We look forward to hearing more and more of the squad's swimming success as they continue to raise the standards of swimming in Pembrokeshire and Wales as a whole."