CRICKLADE'S Laura Halford was crowned the 2015 rhythmic gymnastics all-around champion at the first ever British Gymnastics Championships Series at Liverpool's Echo Arena, today.

Halford, of Swindon's Esprit club, completed a straight hat-trick of domestic titles with a score of 58.200 after her hoop, ball, club and ribbon routines.

Esprit  teammate Stephani Sherlock in silver with 55.800 with 2012 Olympian Lynne Hutchison taking bronze with 55.150.

Halford, who won three medals for Wales at last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, told british-gymnastics.org: “I’m really, really happy to have won the title again.

"My first routines didn’t go to plan so I had to really fight back and perform at my best to take the gold so I’m really pleased to have done that. I definitely felt more pressure and expectation coming in to this and to win again is just as good if not better than the first time.''

She added: "The arena is brilliant and feels like a major championship which for the younger girls especially is a great experience. I’m so happy to be British champion again and in the apparatus finals tomorrow I can compete with less pressure and really express myself, I can’t wait.”

The British Gymnastics Championship Series sees the country's top gymnasts compete for honours in acrobatic, aerobic, TeamGym and rhythmic gymnastics.

The Esprit club also took gold in the Senior Group Ribbons and All-Around events.

The competitions continue with rhythmic apparatus finals and aerobic finals on Friday.