WYRE Forest swimmers are celebrating after storming to promotion in the National Arena League.

The National Arena League is currently the largest swimming team competition in England, with approximately 400 teams participating across the country.

Wyre Forest fall within the West Midlands region and bagged promotion to the Premier League after another fine showing.

Having placed first in their first round and second in their second round, the Wyre Forest team headed to Perdiswell Leisure Centre with high hopes of challenging for another first place finish and a chance of promotion in 2019.

After the first very tense 10 events, Wyre Forest found themselves in an early lead but there was only one point dividing the teams placed in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

An update from the announcer revealed that they were still in the lead after 26 events, still with only a narrow breathing space of three points.

Foresters dug deep, urging each other on and after 34 events had gained an eight point lead over their nearest rivals, Leighton Buzzard.

At 42 events, they were beginning to believe in themselves, powering their way to a 13 point lead with only eight events remaining.

With the travelling Forest parents and family roaring them on, the swimmers refused to ease off the pressure and stormed the final events to an absolutely amazing 20 point victory.

Head coach Brian McGuinness said: "Tonight was very special. There are days when a win’s a win but tonight was much more than that.

"This was a victory for hard work, dedication to detail and outright competitiveness.

"No one gave in, no one settled for second best and every single swimmer gave of their very, very best. Tonight was truly superb, better than even I had hoped for & hence I am a very very proud coach. We won because we were the fittest, had the best skills and had more talent than anyone else, and of course, the noisiest supporters in the stands - we were a team above all but above all, we were a team. We are in the Premier League and we progress as Champions."

Swimmers representing Wyre Forest in the competition were Brad Baddams, Ryan Bloomer, Charlie Brown, Thomas Brown, Isabelle Bowers, Matilda Calder, Lily Colley, Nathaniel Crowther, Theo Crowther, Rob Darbyshire, Tyler Elwell, Millie Gardner, Lillie Grover, Will Guest, Colby Hands, Joel Hands, Tegan Hands, Alexandra Hayes, Reegan Hill, Isabella Hoare, Mollie Kilgour, Chloe Lawson, Adam Newey, Lucy Nicholls, Sam Osborne, Shay Parker, Abbie Rowley, Lois Stevens, James Vaux, Emily Watkiss, Jasmin Yates, Brecon Westwood.