TRIPLE world champion gymnast Beth Tweddle, who won European gold days ago in Berlin, has been coaching young Poole hopefuls.

Beth, 26, considered to be Britain’s most successful gymnast of all time – and one of the country’s best medal hopes for the 2012 Olympics – was at Ashdown Leisure Centre on Wednesday to teach children and highlight her new Total Gymnastics club.

The club, established by Beth to get the next generation of young gymnasts involved in the sport at grass roots level, will run at the centre in May.

Beth, who spent the morning with around 120 youngsters, said: “My passion is to get youngsters involved at a young age, with good local facilities available on their doorsteps. When I started I had to travel a long way to train and I know not all young people can do this.

“I’ve been teaching the basics of gymnastics to them today and I have to admit, a couple of the youngsters caught my eye. Who knows, they could be the champions of tomorrow.”

Beth, who has just returned from the European Championships in Berlin, where she won gold on the uneven bars, added: “Hopefully we will have a good year and take this into 2012 for the Olympics.”

Michael Barfoot, duty manager at the leisure centre in Adastral Road, Poole, said there had been a lot of interest in gymnastics.

He said: “We’ve had lots of youngsters taking part, including quite a few boys, which is great as traditionally it is harder to attract young boys into the sport.

“Hopefully these children will be watching Beth on television when she wins a gold at the Olympics next year.”

A Total Gymnastics spokesman said the academy launched in 2010 and allows young people of all abilities to join in with gymnastics and learn the fundamental movements, develop their talent and learn new skills.

Beth has also been awarded the MBE.