LITTLE Laura Marshall is a wonder in the water.

While most other six-year-olds struggle to swim more than a few metres, she has already completed a mile and won her bronze award.

And now Laura, who was swimming regularly at the age of three months, is aiming to win her silver medal.

"It is extremely unusual for a child of this age to be swimming these kinds of distances. In fact it is almost unheard of," said development officer Chris Shirley said:

"At the silver level we only recommend that pupils should be able to swim 200 metres and that should be at the earliest around age 10.

"What Laura has done is an incredible achievement but we wouldn't condone trying to make children who are so young swim so far."

Laura, of Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, trains four times a week with the Leyland Barracudas at Leyland Leisure Centre with people who are nearly twice her age.

Proud dad Paul, 33, willingly admits that Laura can leave him floundering in the water.

Mum, Julie, 31, said: "My parents took me swimming from a young age and I always enjoyed it just like Laura.

"I have been taking Laura swimming since she was very young. She really took to it and it is something she enjoys.

"Her dad and I are very proud of her because I think we would struggle to swim a mile - never mind a six-year-old girl."

Laura attends Meadow Head Junior School, Blackburn where most of her school friends are working on their five metres.

Julie added: "When Laura went to school and told her teachers what she had done they couldn't believe it. They thought she was joking, so I sent her in with her medal and certificate to prove it.

"Laura wants to be a star. She saw something in the newspaper about three girls swimming the Channel and all she has ever done since then is pester me saying she wants to swim the Channel - if only she knew how many miles that is!"

For the bronze medal, awarded by the Swimming Teachers' Association, Laura had to swim five metres unaided and display a competent use of breast stroke, back stroke and front crawl.

For the silver award Laura will have to swim up to 200 metres and improve her strokes.

To complete the series of awards she will move on to do the gold. This consists of swimming 1,000 metres, taking clothing off while in the water, treading water for five minutes and attracting help.