SALISBURY Stingrays are celebrating success after reaching their target to buy five new digital timing pads.

The swimming club was awarded £1,408 by Salisbury Area Board on Thursday.

The timing pads connect to the starters box and when swimmers touch the pad at the end of the race directly links to the digital display score board, recording each swimmers individual time.

The old style timing pads only last five years before they need to be replaced and five have stopped working.

The new timing pads the club want to buy have a longer life span and will not require replacement for at least 20 years.

Rebecca Seymour, fundraiser at Salisbury Stingrays, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the grant from Salisbury Area Board as, along with the success of our recent crowdfunding project and donations from Waitrose tokens, we are now in a position to be able to purchase all five new timing pads needed for our licensed swimming meets. This is such great news for Salisbury Stingrays.”

The club, based at Five Rivers Leisure Centre, launched a crowdfunding campaign last year to raise the money towards the timing pads, which are needed for swimming competitions and galas.

Each pad costs a sum of £1,000.