LIFE-SAVING championships are coming to the new £32 million Manchester Aquatics Centre -- the swimming and diving venue for the Commonwealth Games.

A record 1,232 entries have been submitted to compete in a wide rang of events on November 17 and 18.

The 2001 RLSS UK National Speed and Life-saving Championship will see members of the Royal Life Saving Society from throughout the country taking part.

The venue is the only UK facility with two 50 metre pools in the UK and the championship is sponsored by Poseidon Technologies.

Di Standley, chief executive of Life-savers, said: "The Life-saving Championships are unique in that competitors representing a cross section of the community, across the whole age range, will be taking part, helping to boost awareness of life-saving techniques and the dangers of drowning.

"The development of new technology to assist lifeguards is something that the Society is keen to support."