Team Splash, a group of lifeguards from Tees Active, battled it out against other teams from all over Britain to come fourth out of 19 teams in The National Lifeguard Championships at Stechford Cascades swimming pool in Birmingham last month.

Now in their fourth year, the awards allow leisure centres to showcase their lifeguarding talent while testing their skills and teamwork under pressure. Team Splash was lead by Amanda Taylor, duty manager at Splash Active Life Centre; other team members included Sian Bollands, Hannah Williams, Sally McTomney, Dean McCall, Shane Hassall and Daniel Frost. All the team are RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualified.

During the competition Team Splash endured an assault course in a very wet, muddy and boggy woodland area, followed by a number of skills tests, first aid and pool incidents and finishing with a closely fought torpedo buoy relay. The team qualified for the finals back in June, when they came second out of 12 teams that entered the regional heats in Leigh near Manchester.

Team leader Amanda Taylor said, " I am extremely proud of team splash and their achievements of reaching 4th place. Their show of good sportsmanship and genuine friendliness really came through on the day. "During the past year, all the lifeguards have worked hard to improve their life guarding, first aid skills and widen their knowledge."