IT WAS that time of the year where school pupils, teachers and organisers were on the late shift as once again Hyndburn Sports Centre and Accrington Swim Club hosted the annual Hyndburn schools swimming gala.

A total of 10 schools competed in boys and girls races, battling to be crowned Hyndburn champions.

The swimmers took part in 12 races all together - six boys and six girls races - followed by the 3x25m individual medley, 25m backstroke, 25m freestyle, 3x25m relay, 25m breaststroke and 4x25m relay.

The competition was split into boys and girls races and then overall team prize with schools scoring points depending on the place they finished in the race across two heats.

In the girls 3x25m individual medley, Jessica Simpson of all All Saints touched home first ahead of Destinee Jones of Peel Park with Mia from St Huberts third.

Sam Fenton from Baxenden Primary School won the boys IM ahead of Logan from St Huberts and Ronnie Calverley-Sumner of Benjamin Hargreaves.

In the 25m backstroke, Eliza of St Huberts was the winner with Casey Holt of Peel Park second and Baxenden’s Iona Lochrie third.

The boys 25m backstroke was won by Joshua Baynes of Baxenden who pipped Logan (St Huberts) and Jack Roberts (St Bartholomew’s) in to second and third place respectively.

Baxenden completed a double in the 25m freestyle with Rebecca Jackson winning the girls race and George Lee the boys event. In the girls, Mia Prickett of Peel Park was second and Mia (St Huberts) third. Etienne Ward (St Charles) and Harley Mather (St Bartholomew’s) were second and third in the boys race.

Baxenden also proved to be too good in the 3x25m relay races as well with Iona Lochrie, Madison Hull and Rebecca Jackson powering to glory.

Casey Holt, Destinee Jones and Mia Prickett guided Peel Park to second place while St Huberts were third.

In the boys race, Joshua Baynes, Luke Ward and George Lee were the trio that helped Baxenden to more glory ahead of St Huberts in second while Saul Sharp, Regahn Topham and Etienne Ward helped St Charles to third place.

Jessica Simpson of All Saints won her second individual event of the event, beating all to win the 25m breaststroke girls ahead of Holly Peters (West End) and Anna Rogers (St Charles).

And it was also a winning double for Baxenden’s Sam Fenton following his win in the individual medley.

Tahara Buta of Peel Park was second with Saul Sharp of St Charles third.

The evening finished with the 4x4 relays and it was the quartet of Destinee Jones, Mia Prickett, Summer Scott and Leilah Farmer who guided Peel Park to victory in the 4x25m freestyle.

The Baxenden foursome of Iona Lochrie, Maeve Jones, Madison Heys and Rebecca Jackson were second with Chloe Parkinson, Mia Holt, Holly Peters and Maddison Webber helping West End to third place.

In the boys race, it was more success for Baxenden with Joshua Baynes, George Lee, George Murphy and Sam Fenton all part of the winning team.

Etienne Ward, Adam Bot, Jake Normil and Saul Sharp of St Charles were second with St Huberts in third place.

Peel Park were crowned girls champions with 51 points; while Baxenden won the boys, scoring 60 points. In overall results it was Peel Park in third place with 90 points; St Hubert’s in second place with 94 points; in first place with 109 points was Baxenden.

“A massive well done to Baxenden and Peel Park for their wins, a special mention must go to Jessica Simpson from All Saints primary school who broke the record in the girls breaststroke event,” said school games organiser Gareth Martindale.

“Thank you to all who took part, a massive thank you to Accrington Swimming Club who gave up their pool training time to help run the event.”