THEY may still be a bit wobbly on their feet, but plenty of Winchester babies now think nothing of going for a quick underwater swim.

The Water Babies classes, which have been running at Osbourne School and Shepherd's Down School, have proved extremely popular with parents in the city according to teachers, Ali and Budge Pountney.

One proud Winchester parent, Matt Avery, has been taking his 10-month-old son Max to the class since he was five months old.

Mr Avery, from Teg Down, said: "We started classes when Max was five months and I wish now that we'd started earlier. He simply loves splashing in the water and is teaching himself to blow bubbles by copying me! He loves interacting with the other babies, and he's so confident in the water, even when we go swimming on our own.

"The first time I saw Max swimming towards me underwater was absolutely magical - the photos are amazing, but seeing it happen for yourself is a hundred times better. Swimming with your baby is a fantastic way of bonding and I would recommend it to any parent."

Mrs Pountney, who started running the classes in Winchester last September with her husband, said: "We've been delighted by the enthusiastic response we've had.

"Parents seem to be really enjoying the classes and many say they're the highlight of their week. Having a photo like this is a fantastic memento of a very special experience. There's very little that beats sitting underwater, watching your tiny child serenely glide towards you.

"Although babies lack the strength to swim on the surface until three or four, when carefully supervised they can enjoy the sensation of moving their arms and legs underneath the water within days of birth. And it's hardly surprising that they love it. After all, they have spent their first nine months surrounded by fluid."

The youngest baby to join her class was just two days old but the average is around six weeks.

She and her husband organise for the babies to have their photos taken after the first nine-week term of the course so parents can have a unique photo for years to come.

Mrs Pountney added that the course also had a serious aim and said: "Although babies rarely appear to be doing any more than having fun, they are actually learning potential life-saving skills. Most people wouldn't think it, but drowning is still unfortunately the third largest cause of accidental death for children in the UK and over recent years there has been no decline in the number of incidents."

Classes are currently available at Osborne School, Winchester. For more information contact Ali and Budge on 01794 399 888 or look at the website: www.waterbabies.co.uk.