Young gymnasts are gathering up armfuls of medals and growing in leaps and bounds at a club that has grown from 50 members to more than 160 in less than a year.

The Fenland Gymnastics Academy is celebrating its successes after walking away with 65 medals at the Europeans Invitational competition at Spalding Gymnastics Club.

The bonanza takes their winnings up to a total of 145 medals this year in county, regional and national competitions.

The club, whose base is at Algores Way in Wisbech, is the only one in the Fens to have a sprung floor making it possible for gymnasts to practice somersaults and more complex manoeuvres.

Head coach, 22 year old Claire Stock, who was appointed in January said: “We have gymnasts representing us at club, county, eastern region and national levels. We have had county champions six year old Lucy Dear, seven year old Erin Clark and 14 year old Jessica Crannis.

“We have had two members of the Cambridgeshire County Squad this year, Emma Elam, 10, and Jessica Langley 11.

“Fenland Gymnastics Academy is a vibrant and friendly club. It is a relatively small club which enables it to have a family atmosphere, where everybody knows everybody else. Success is celebrated at all levels.

“We firmly believe that gymnastics has something to offer the whole community from parents and babies through to toddlers, school aged children, teenagers and adults.”

Miss Stock, who was a women’s artistic gymnast for 15 years, competed for the England National team on many occasions.

She retired from gymnastics and began coaching at the age of 19.

Classes range from pre-school starters to recreational and elite gymnastics.

The club has 10 voluntary helpers and coaches who give up their free time in order for the gym to maintain its high standards in coaching and participation.

There are also four juniors who work alongside the qualified team in order to learn how to become coaches of the future.

Miss Stock said: “All of our coaches have British Gymnastics coaching qualifications and have undergone enhanced CRB checks. We have established links with a wide network of contacts, both in gymnastics and education.

“We collaborate with other clubs which enable us to offer high quality gymnastics to a wide range of gymnasts, students and members of the community.”