NEWTON ABBOT retained the Williams Shield in a closely-fought gala, for swimmers aged 12 and under, at Paignton's Clennon Valley pool.

Jamie Bishop (aged 10) got Newton off to a good start with a win in the 1 length Fly, he also won the 2 lengths backstroke event; Bishop was also one of the 10u boys' relay squad (Tom Normington, Peter Cock, Ben Gauntlett, Guy Bennett) who achieved victory in both the Freestyle and Medley relays. Bishop also swam for Newton 's winning 8 x 1 mixed canon relay, the final event on the programme: other swimmers in this race were Tom Normington, Evie Bailey, Emma Silk, Jacob Irons, Lara Cosford, Gabriel Bailey, Rachel Cooper.

Other individual race winners for Newton : Lara Cosford 11 yrs Fly; Evie Bailey (9 yrs Breaststroke) Niall Grant (11 years Breaststroke); Gabriel Bailey (12 years Breaststroke); Tom Normington and Brogan Mace won the 9 years age group Backstroke races, and there was further double success in the 11 years Backstroke events for Jacob Irons and Abbie Carne. Individual Freestyle winners were Guy Bennett (10 year boys) and Lara Cosford (11 year girls).

The 12u girls won their 4 x 1 freestyle relay (Carne, Rachel Cooper, Elin Morgan, Cosford)

Also swimming for Newton Abbot were: Abbie Clarke, Sebastian Burleigh, Ryan Rogers, Ben Gauntlett, Charlotte Wright, Alysha Prowse, Amy Tozer, Sammy Basham, and Lewis Hailstone.
Final gala scores: Brixham 73, Torquay Leander 96, Oddicombe 114, Paignton 144,
Newton Abbot 151.