FIVE Ferndown Otters swimmers headed West today after being selected to take part in the UK School Games.

Kim Rowles, Chris Campbell, Fran Hughes, Zoe Watson and Craig Freeman will be representing the England South West team.

The Games are a pet project of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who in his time as Chancellor of the Exchequer wanted an event that would introduce young athletes to the Olympic-style multi-sport environment.

The teenaged competitors stay in an athletes' village - in this case at the University of Bath, although the Games themselves are at Millfield - and attend opening and closing ceremonies.

British swimming's double Olympic champion Becky Adlington is rumoured to be opening the Games and a Government representative - possibly Mr Brown himself - is also expected to attend.

Recently-crowned national youth champion Hughes is expected to swim the 100m and 200m breaststroke while Welsh international Rowles, who won a silver in the nationals, is in the 200m individual medley.

Campbell expects to swim the 100m and 200m butterfly and Watson and Freeman the girls' and boys' 400m freestyle.

All five are also likely to feature in relays.

KIM STAYS ON

KIM Rowles will be staying on at Millfield after the School Games after being awarded a swimming scholarship at the sports-orientated school.

Rowles, 16, recently promoted from the Welsh junior team to the Welsh senior squad, starts at Millfield on Monday.

Her arrival coincides with that of newly-hired head coach Jolyon Finck, from Australia, whose appointment reflects Millfield's ambitions to regain their status as the leading swimming force in the South West from National Swimming League champions Plymouth Leander.