SWIMMING instructor Kim Chapman from Basingstoke has just been honoured with the outstanding teacher prize at the Amateur Swimming Association national awards evening.

The award, presented at the Hilton Hotel, Northampton, was well-earned by someone whose swimming school pupil numbers have risen from under 200 at its launch seven years ago to 1,400 every week. There is now a waiting list.

Her pupils range from three-month-old babies to senior citizens and in the seven years they have helped raise £11,000 for local charities through sponsored swims.

Chapman, who holds classes at Queen Mary's College in Basingstoke and also down the M3 at Frimley, believes she was chosen for the award because of the number of ASA examination passes her school produces.

The gloss was taken off the award, however, when she returned to learn that her pool hire charge at QMC is to go up by some 38 per cent.

"It's a nightmare because we're already the most expensive in a sense in Basingstoke," said Chapman.

The 47-year-old, who took up teaching when her competition days were over, started with one assistant but now employs 25 staff.

Born in London, she swam in the English Schools finals before representing Surrey and Hampshire in competition.

She was encouraged by her late father, Ted Virgo, to take up teaching to put something back when her competition days were over.

Chapman qualified as a teacher in 1975 and gained her advanced badge a year later.

She assisted at Basingstoke swimming club and progressed to her first paid job in swimming at Basingstoke Sports Centre.

She was sacked from that job when she set up on her own but the move rebounded on her past employers when a large proportion of her pupils moved with her.

Chapman has an excellent relationship with Basingstoke's chief swimming coach Steve Greenfield and when she spots a child with potential she recommends him or her to the swimming club.

She said: "After 27 years of teaching, I still get immense pleasure seeing a child swim their first few strokes and the look on their faces as well as their parents.

"I am obviously surrounded by an amazing group of people - both from my family and my staff. Without their support none of this could have been achieved."

Among the famous guests attending the Kellogg's Frosties awards evening were Commonwealth Games gold medallists Rebecca Cooke (800 and 400 metres freestyle) and James Gibson (100m breaststroke) and former Olympic silver medallist Nick Gillingham.