IN the swim and on course for a record-breaking performance is a pint-sized Haslemere swimming star who has just clocked up an incredible swim of 400 metres - at just three years old.

Although a broken arm may currently be cramping his style, little James Fairley from Tennysons Lane could find his exceptional achievement making the pages of the Guinness Book of Records.

His proud mum Penny Fairley told The Herald that James, who started swimming at eight weeks old is waiting to hear if his super-swim will warrant an entry into the famous book.

"We wrote to them and they are currently doing some research. It will depend if anybody else has made that sort of claim," said Mrs Fairley.

His progress in the swimming pool has been quite remarkable. At the age of two-and -a-half he was take to Egypt to swim at a special swimming venue called "Acqua Tots" where he swam underwater. Now James is swimming further and further.

"We are incredibly proud of him," said Mrs Fairley who takes James for private swimming lessons to pool where he can't even stand on the bottom.

In March James surprised everyone when, instead of completing the 50 metres expected of him, he swam 200 metres.

The importance of swimming lessons was brought home to the family when they lived in a house with an outdoor swimming pool.

""We did it initially for water safety, but I'd like James to enjoy the sport and if he wants to progress we will encourage him.

James originally learned to swim as a baby under water, with no swimming aids.

"You are taught to just let them go and pick them up and gradually they learn to swim towards you," said Mrs Fairley.

She said that the more normal distances youngsters of James's age would be expected to swim were around 20 metres.

James has developed his own swimming style which includes floating and ducking under the water.

And now his 11-month old brother Adam who is also having swimming lessons is catching up fast.

But despite breaking his arm, its swimming as usual for James who now has a special cover to protect the plaster cast.