MORE than 20 youngsters from Ledbury Swimming Club (LADASC), due to fly to Spain for a training camp, are being forced to stump up an extra £2,000 for new fights after Monarch Airlines collapsed into administration -cancelling all future trips.

The swimming club was due to fly to Torremolinos for a much-anticipated intensive training camp in the October half-term but are now frantically fundraising and appealing to the community for help to raise the additional sum following the announcement on Monday.

The swimmers, aged between 11 and 18, have been fundraising for over six months in order to pay for the trip and the club is now searching all airports in England for available flights, which are believed to cost in excess of £2,000 more than their original price.

Club chairman Steve Watson said: "This is a disaster for a small club like ours. Our swimmers have already raised a huge amount of cash to support this trip by giving up their weekends to pack bags in supermarkets.

"If there is anyone in the local community who thinks they may be able to help or has ideas for fundraising please do get in touch."

He added: "We are very fortunate to have an amazing network of parent supporters who have rallied together during this crisis and we think we may have found flights.

"We are completely dedicated to making sure our swimmers get the best opportunities and we are determined to make sure this training camp goes ahead."

This is the first time LADASC has run an overseas swim camp in five years, the last one being 2012.

The group train almost every night of the week in both Ledbury and Malvern and have a membership of more than 100 swimmers.

Anyone who may be able to help is urged to email: clubsecretary@LADASC.co.uk.