FIVE-YEAR-OLD Declan Shepherd has not only overcome his fear of water -- he's managed to swim a mile as well.

Declan, a pupil at St Michael's Primary School, Howe Bridge, Atherton, used to panic whenever he started to get out of his depth.

But just a year after learning to swim, he covered a mile at Westhoughton swimming pool.

His grandmother, Anne Worthington, aged 48, of Leigh Road, Westhoughton, said: "He was great in the small pool, but he never wanted to go out of his depth. He would say to me that he didn't want to go in the deep end. But now he's brilliant. He's not bothered at all."

Declan, of Oak Tree Close, Atherton, received a badge and a certificate for his mile-long swim which he has already shown to his classmates.

He goes swimming at least once a week at Westhoughton swimming pool and has passed a personal survivor test, which involved having to jump into the pool wearing pyjamas.

Mrs Worthington said his parents Nicola and Davyd, and grandfather Paul, were all proud of him.