Disgruntled parents have fuelled a dispute at Basildon Swimming Club by forming their own breakaway organisation.

Phoenix Swim School is based at Wickford pool and claims to have attracted more than 100 members thus far - many from the Basildon club.

The move follows an incident two months ago when three of the Basildon and District Club's coaches - Steve Ham, Debbie Maxwell and Mike Adams - resigned following a stormy public meeting.

This clear-the-air talks had been called to settle parents' differences on how best to employ swimmers in galas.

Maxwell, teaching co-ordinator at the Swim School alongside Ham and Adams, today insisted there was no bad blood involved in the setting up of the new club.

She said: "I wasn't happy at Basildon and District and decided I'd given enough of my time over a number of years. They also wanted to take the club in a different direction.

She added:"As far as we are concerned, Basildon and District Swimming Club is an old established club and we wish them well."

Representatives of the Basildon club refused to comment, although their swimmers have been fighting back gallantly with a number of good results in local galas.

In a further twist, it has also emerged that young swimmers have been frozen out of competition by joining the new club.

Athletes can only compete in galas if their club has affiliation to the Amateur Swimming Association, and Phoenix Swim School is still in the process of applying.

However, coach Mike Higgs of Borough of Southend Swimming Club has stepped in to throw the children a temporary lifejacket.

Mike has no involvement in the controversy at Basildon but, in a public-spirited gesture, has offered the frozen-out swimmers temporary membership of his club at Warrior Square so they can compete in races.

He said: "I'm not at all interested in the politics of the situation. All that matters to me is that these kids get the chance to compete and fulfil their potential."

Swim School's Steve Ham said: "The parents, swimmers and teaching staff are all very grateful to Mike in assisting us by helping to keep the kids in the water racing - which is where they belong."

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