BRITISH Swimming has set up a "independent fact-finding investigation" into claims from several para-swimmers that they were bullied by a coach at a training base used last year by Wiltshire Paralympic gold medallist Stephanie Millward.

According to a BBC report, the complainants are understood to include several medallists from Rio 2016, where para-swimming was ParalympicsGB's most successful sport, and the investigation has been under way for the past two months.

The allegations of bullying within swimming's elite squad follow earlier revelations from cycling and rowing - two of Britain's other bankers at recent Games - although an internal review at British Rowing cleared senior coach Paul Thompson.

Corsham's Millward, who won two golds at the Rio Games, moved her training base to Manchester in the build-up to last summer's showpiece.

In a statement released to Press Association Sport, British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes said: "Whilst some athletes have expressed some concerns, we have immediately undertaken an independent fact-finding investigation into these.

"The investigation remains ongoing and, until it is completed, we do not propose to make any further comment."

In a similarly worded statement, the British Paralympic Association said it was aware of the claims and it was "quite right" that British Swimming has started an investigation.

British Cycling's image has been badly damaged by the headlines that followed the acrimonious exit of Jess Varnish from the Olympic squad last year.

Her claims of bullying and sexism resulted in the departure of technical director Shane Sutton and the commissioning of an independent review into the GB cycling team's "climate and culture".

Publication of its final report is imminent, but a leaked draft was highly critical of both British Cycling and the elite funding agency UK Sport.

Responding to news of British Swimming's investigation, a UK Sport spokesperson said: "While we are disappointed to hear of these allegations, we are reassured that athletes feel able to challenge any behaviour that they are uncomfortable with and that British Swimming are investigating.

"As part of our action plan following the independent review into British Cycling, we will be looking at sharing best practice across the entire high-performance system to ensure we continue to support our athletes to reach their full potential within a positive performance culture of the utmost integrity."

As well as the cycling review, British Olympic and Paralympic sport is waiting for the publication of a report into athlete welfare conducted by Paralympic great Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

She is understood to have completed that report before Christmas, with its publication held up by the legal process surrounding the cycling review, as it is hoped her recommendations can be presented as part of the solution to what seems to be a wider problem than first feared.

According to the BBC, a parent of one of the complainants said the para-swimmers felt "belittled and criticised" and "a culture of fear" existed that placed medals before welfare.

This language is very similar to that used by several cyclists over the last year, with former GB rider Wendy Houvenaghel telling the BBC on Thursday British Cycling had a "medals at any cost" approach and "if you rocked the boat, you were out".