A BLACK cloud still hangs over the future of a group of elite swimmers in Torfaen as they wait to hear if they are to lose their coach as part of council budget cuts.

Members of Torfaen County swimming club were told in February by the council that their coach Gareth McNarry will be made redundant as part of the local authorities budget cuts.

Almost 300 people have signed the online petition to save the squad that say they can't carry on without their coach.

Mr McNarry said: "It's a worry for the youngsters but they are continuing and have stood up and been accounted for and the group has seen a wealth of achievements."

The elite squad is made up of 21 swimmers, aged 14-19, who are the top athletes from the four swimming clubs in Torfaen.

Since hearing of the news the swimmers have pulled out all the stops to prove that they are the best in their game.

Over Easter, the youths competed in the British Gas Swim Wales Age Group and Youth Championships. This competition saw athletes from across Wales and England gather together for four days of racing.

In total the swimmers of Torfaen produced seven gold, two silver, six bronze medals and numerous personal best times over the four days.

Mr McNarry said: "These results are testament to the dedication and continued hard work of the swimmers even though the last few months have been a bit of a rollercoaster for them and their futures are still not secure with a black cloud hanging over the future of the squad due to council budget cuts."

Recently, 17-year-old Daniel Woods, been awarded an academic and sports scholarship at East Carolina University, where he will swim and study for the next four years.

He first started swimming when he was just four years old at Pontypool Dolphins Swimming Club. He went on to join the Swim Wales Regional Skills squad in 2004, and has swum for the Swim Wales East regional development squad, and currently the Torfaen County Swimming Elite.

Speaking to the Free Press earlier in the year, team swimmer Sophie Rosser, 16, said: "The decision to make the coach redundant effectively means an end to the performance squad within the county programme."

The most important thing for the group is to keep the 20 hours of pool time for the squad across the three pools in Torfaen, as they wait to hear of the coach's fate.