LUCY Mills is living her dream.

This summer, water polo with Great Britain has taken the former Culcheth High School student to Hungary and Romania for training camps before competing in the Women’s European Junior Championships in Greece.

Earlier this year in the Czech Republic she was England under 17s' top scorer as the team secured bronze for the second year running in the EU Nations Junior Women's Tournament.

The 17-year-old got among the goals again in Volos, Greece, helping her country reach the 11th-12th place final in a European Championships featuring national teams containing full-time professional athletes.

Lucy, who competed for Great Britain under 15s in the European Championships staged in Malta two years ago, is an A-level student at Winstanley College in Wigan.

“She is definitely living her dream,” said her father, Chris.

“All the hard work, the long hours training, the late nights, the early mornings, the sacrifices, the missing out on other things, the time, the expense; it is all forgotten when your daughter is selected to play sport for Great Britain.

“Everybody involved - Lucy, mum and dad, nana and grandad, cousins, Aunty and Uncle, her sister Molly - would do it all again, twice over.”

Warrington Guardian:

Lucy Mills with father Chris

She has hardly been at home since the end of July, having attended a 10-day training camp in Hungary and after returning for five days jetted off to Romania and Hungry again for a further 10 days of Europeans preparation.

Two days at home preceded heading out to Volos.

Warrington Guardian:

Plenty of travelling involved for Lucy Mills, Katie Bowater and their Great Britain teammates

That run included Lucy, and fellow Warringtonian Katy Bowater, helping GB to win a tournament in Eger, Hungary, and twice beat the Romanian national team – scoring four goals for her country in the second of those wins.

The centre-forward was top scorer for Tyldesley Water Polo Club’s National League Division Two team last season but has changed clubs for the new campaign in another busy season ahead.

“Lucy has been offered a place to play for Liverpool in the first division of the Ladies National League, so while she wishes to retain her ties with Tyldesley Swimming Club she will play for Liverpool Lizards going forward,” said Chris.

“She has completed her first year at Winstanley College studying PE, Business Studies and English Language.

“She continues to volunteer life guarding for Tyldesley Swimming Club (when time permits), and also works part time for the Pelican Centre Swimming Pool (where Tyldesley swimming club are based).”

Warrington Guardian:

Lucy Mills in her Great Britain kit

Lucy, who was Tyldesley Water Polo Club player of the year in 2018, typically trains six days per week.

She has also represented the North West in the National Inter Regional Championships, and completed two seasons playing for England Schools – that included two European Championships campaigns - as her water polo career continued to blossom.

Her move into water polo came eight years ago.

"The whole family has a long history with Tyldesley Swimming Club. I was a member, my parents were on the committee,” said Chris.

"She joined the club about age seven as a swimmer and then the swimming led to polo.

“She tried other things before finding what she liked.

"In the same way that my parents took me to the swimming club so that I could just swim, that’s what we did with Lucy and it just really went from there.”