City of Oxford swimmers are preparing to say farewell to their head coach Jim Walker.

Walker has been at the club for the past two years, having originally joined the coaching team in 2003, but is now moving to the West Country following his retirement from the Army.

Susanna Price, Oxford City's girls captain paid tribute to the coach.

She said: "Jim's outstanding dedication to the club and his enthusiastic encouragement of all the swimmers from county to national level has made him one of the most popular and successful coaches that the club has had.

"He has enabled many swimmers to achieve results beyond their expectations, earning him the affection and respect of the swimmers together with that of their parents and the other coaches within the club."

Walker will be saying goodbye next month after taking six City swimmers to the National Championships in Sheffield.

This weekend there will be a farewell party in his honour to thank him and to wish him luck in his new life in Somerset.

CITY of Oxford's Laura Sherwood, 14, struck gold at the Bletchley and District end-of-season meeting on Saturday, winning 50m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly and 100m and 200m indivdual medley (IM), all in personal best times.

Sherwood also picked up silver for 100m breaststroke and freestyle, was fourth in the 50 breaststroke and went too fast to count in the 200m freestyle.

As a result of her efforts she was awarded the gala's top girl trophy.

Clubmate Thomas Matthews Boehmer, 10, took gold in the 50m freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke and 100m IM and bronze in the 50m butterfly.

Leanne Brooks, 12, gained gold in 100m breaststroke, silver in 50m back and 200 IM and received speeding tickets for 50m freestyle and breaststroke.