Seascale swimming sensation Ellinor Southward has been called up to represent Team GB at the European Junior Swimming Championships in Israel this June.

The 15-year-old who swims for Ellesmere College Titans and Cockermouth ASC caught the eye of selectors at the recent British Swimming Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

After bringing home a silver and a bronze medal for Team GB at the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2015, Ellie has had a challenging time with a series of minor injuries and illnesses that repeatedly interrupted her training programme.

Fortunately she now appears to be in good form, having had a successful meet while representing England in Marseille this January and then again when swimming at the British Swimming Championships where she entered seven of the eight events she qualified for.

She made it into three finals and recorded seven personal best times out of 10 swims.

Ellie excels at backstroke and, in the heats of the 100m event, she a recorded a new PB of 1:02.81 to qualify third for the Junior Final in which she went better again, recording a time of 1:02.44 to finish in third place.

Ellie returned to the pool on day four recording a new PB of 2:14.84 from an early heat of the 200m backstroke, to qualify first for the Junior Final. She went better again in a fiercely contested final, recording 2:14.32 and was just touched out of third place to finish fourth.

Ellie said: “I’m pleased that things are finally picking up again and that I’m getting some results. It’s been quite a journey since EYOF in 2015 so I’m really looking forward to representing Team GB again this summer and showing everyone what I am capable of.”