A PAIR of talented Calne water babes had a stroke of luck when they were both awarded with cash grants to help develop their aquatic skills.

The money came from the Calne Sports Centre Trust, which awards money to young athletes each year to help them to excel at their chosen sport.

Competitive swimmer Claire Weston, 14, of London Road, Calne, a member of the Calne Alpha Four swimming club, was given £75, which she will put towards the cost of using the pool.

Nikki Dunbar, 15, a synchronised swimmer, from Thomas Mead, Chippenham, who is from the same club, was awarded £220, which will pay for an intensive one-week synchronised swimming course at Cobham Hall in Kent.

Calne mayor Coun Tony Trotman presented the awards.

Secretary of the trust Mike Lewis, 67, who was the manager of the Calne Sports Centre for 18 years before it it became the White Horse Leisure Centre, said: "We're always open if someone with sporting potential comes along.

"We award the money once a year, but we have made the view that if someone came to us with a very good cause we could make an award outside that."

The trust was set up six years ago when the leisure centre changed hands and has distributed £5,000 in grants to sporting youngsters.

There are some criteria for the scheme and most applicants should use the sports centre, in White Horse Way, on a regular basis, although Mr Lewis said the group is flexible.