Given that herrings are naturally found in the water it is perhaps no surprise 14-year-old Lily Herring is proving to be one of the area’s top up-and-coming swimmers. 

Lily - who lives in the Aylsham area and trains in North Walsham with the North Norfolk Vikings - became the Eastern Region 400m freestyle champion for S10 - a category for para swimmers.

She won the gold medal and clocking a personal best with a time of 5:42.58.

Lily also took home bronze medals from the 100m breaststroke - finishing in 1:52.87 - and the 100m freestyle with a time of 1:17.83.

North Norfolk News: Lily HerringLily Herring (Image: Supplied by North Norfolk Vikings)Lily, who has now been selected for the 2023-2024 national youth programme, said: "I really enjoyed going to regionals and competing against other para swimmers. I was really pleased to get a new PB in my favourite event, the 400 free, and take the gold medal."

Sam Watts, her coach, said: "Lily trains hard and it is a pleasure to have her in Vikings. Lily deserves all the success she is achieving at the moment."