MY daughter produced a scintillating performance to finish second in the Brownies' swimming gala at Radcliffe Baths on Monday.

I reckon the winner false started or was over-age but wouldn't every dad.

My advice to her, however, is the same as it would be to any youngster showing swimming potential in this country. Don't take it up as a career.

I refer to our story this week about Bolton's outstanding sportsman, in every sense of the word, Anthony Howard who, at 22, has won Great Britain a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games and represented his country in the European Championships and Olympic Games.

Surely he must be rich. No. Not only has he not got two pennies to rub together but he is having to take a nine to five job to fund his own preparations for next summer's Commonwealth Games at which he is a good bet for a medal.

All his competitors will be professional and pampered while he will have to expose himself to the stresses and strains of a full time job in the middle of two gruelling training sessions a day.

No. I'll be telling my daughter to stick to golf or tennis.