A HEREFORDSHIRE teenager will be supporting a former Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmer in helping to coach her fellow pupils.

Sixteen-year-old Caitlin Livingston, who lives in Whitchurch, near Ross-on-Wye, will be working alongside ex-Great Britain swimmer, Thomas Haffield.

Livingston is a Year 12 student at Monmouth School for Girls and is one of four volunteer coaches who will be gaining valuable experience.

“Swimming is an important life skill,” said Haffield, who will be working with children from Monmouth Schools Pre-Prep and Nursery and Monmouth School Boys’ Prep.

“We will be running learn-to-swim lessons with the younger children and an after-school swim club with the older children to try to build a more competitive swim programme.”

The new partnership has been forged by Mrs Jennie Phillips, a keen swimmer and Headmistress at Monmouth Schools Pre-Prep and Nursery.

The new classes begin in January and will take place in the pool at Monmouth School for Girls.

Haffield made his major event debut at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and then swam at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

After retiring from competitive swimming in 2014, Mr Haffield set up a learn-to-swim programme at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.

“It’s important to have senior children on board to help with the coaching and I believe we can build something very special,” he said.