Pembrokeshire's young swimmers won a record number of medals at a major swimming championships last month.

The young county team scooped a total 45 medals at this year's Welsh Age Group Championships - more than double the number won last year.

The tally included 15 gold medals, 17 silver and 13 bronze.

In addition the team was declared best performing Age Group Team (under 13 girls and under 14 boys) by Swim Wales National Performance director Martyn Woodroffe.

Among the achievements were victory by the girls relay teams in the 4x100 freestyle, 4x100 medley and 4x200 freestyle, while the boys team collected silver in the 4x100 medley.

Hollie Thomas from Haverfordwest achieved a British ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) Youth qualifying time for the 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Kelsey Williams, also from Haverfordwest, collected her 200m breaststroke ASA National Age Group qualifying time, while Hannah Saunders from Tenby Dolphins achieved her first national age group time in the 200m breaststroke.

There was success at both ends of the age spectrum with Ross Sutton from Pembroke and District collecting his first Welsh Age Group medal in the 16-year-old 400m individual medley while 10-year-old Jemma Hurds from Tenby Dolphins collected her first medal in the 1,500m freestyle.

The Welsh Age Group championships are a showcase for the best young swimmers in the country and considered a yardstick for measuring club success at Welsh level.

Twenty-seven young swimmers qualified for this years' event at the Swansea national pool with swimmers from very development club in the county represented.

The youngsters - from Haverfordwest Seals, Pembroke and District, Tenby Dolphins, Fishguard Flyers and Milford Haven - swam together as Pembrokeshire County Swimming.

Pembrokeshire swimming development coach Paul Dowey said he was delighted at the results.

"I'd like to give a big thank you to all those who helped make this the most successful event yet for Pembrokeshire County Swimming in Wales," he said.

"As well as the efforts of the young swimmers themselves, who put in so much hard work in their training, I'd like to thank the volunteers for their tireless work in helping run our county's swimming clubs and Stena Line for their sponsorship of the relay teams.

"Without all of them this success would not be possible."

The Pembrokeshire County Swimming team won five medals at the 2008 championships, 14 in 2009 and 22 last year.