Having for some years repeatedly won British National Club Championships at junior level, Dawlish-based TSW Underwater Hockey Club have engendered a regional tournament to take their players to the next level of competition.

Hence 31 juniors travelled to Wales with colleagues from Plymouth and Ilfracombe (representing England South West) to take-on competitors representing Wales, Scotland, England North and England South.

They played in U13 and U16 tournaments, boys and girls, and emerged with three first places and a runners-up position, once more under-lining the dominance of the south west in this booming sport.

The U13 England South West boys' team was truly outstanding. They opened with a 9-1 win over England South before defeating Wales 10-1 and England North 10-0.

Their toughest opposition was their own U13 girls' England South West team, who they played in a friendly, winning narrowly.

The team was rock solid in defence where Elliot Atkins and Tom Burgess, of Dawlish, anchored, were assisted by Desmond Evans, of Plymouth. Harry Elsmore (Dawlish) and Isaac Martin (Ilfracombe) completely dominated the game in midfield and attack where Dougie Samuels (Plymouth) and Sam Peat and Rupert Ironside-Smith (both Dawlish) harried continually. The team ruthlessly put all opposition to the sword in taking gold.

The U13 England South West Girls were just as dominant on their way to winning gold.

Very few other divisions could field credible opposition. They defeated England North 7-0 and 7-2 before playing off against the other boys and open teams in friendly competition.

The defence of Bronnie Bernstein and Lizzie Godwin (Dawlish) was near-impregnable. Alyssa Oates (Plymouth) and Claire Roberts (Dawlish) spearheaded midfield and attack with Paiton Crawley (Dawlish) and Lucy Gill and Sophie Marsh (Plymouth) able to roam at will and harass the opposition.

England South West Girls' U16s also won their category against highly-fancied opposition. They beat England North 11-1 and Wales were defeated 7-0. Their principal opposition was always going to be Scotland, and a titanic battle finished the group with the South West girl grinding-out a tense 4-3 victory to take the title.

Tess Thompson (Dawlish) was the bedrock of defence where Tanoah Ansah (Plymouth) and Rowan Frewin (Dawlish) also excelled; Frewin also moved to attack to prove a thorn in the sides of all opposition.

Hannah Chard, of Dawlish, was piratical in attack, terrorising opposition, while Charlotte Smith and Paris Crawley (both Dawlish) and Jane and Lucy Allen (Plymouth) were all ruthless providers and finishers at the goal-line.

England South West had felt that their strongest side was going to be the U16 boys' team and it was a surprise therefore to see them finish runners-up behind Scotland.

There were no hard feelings though, as the Scottish team of young giants were to win a pulsating deciding match against the South West 5-2.

Earlier. England South West had defeated Wales 3-1, England North 11-2 and England South 3-0.

The team comprised Ed Mitchell, Ryan Passmore, Petroc Shelley, James Evans and Archie Samuels, of Plymouth, and James Cobb, Neal Roberts, Joel Kelly and Charlie Barnes, of Dawlish.

Several of these U13 and U16 players will be representing Great Britain U19 level in this summer's international tournament also in Newport.