PLYMOUTH Diving won three medals on the opening day of the British National Cup in Southend.

Springboard specialist Rhea Gayle (pictured) got them off to a good start by claiming bronze in the one-metre event on her return from injury.

Gayle, who is British one-metre champion, produced five solid dives in Friday’s final to finish with a total of 239.95 points.

Edinburgh’s Grace Reid won the event with 254.55, with Sheffield’s Clare Cryan second with 244.55.

Plymouth’s Kaleigh Sinclair was seventh, scoring 221.10 points.

Plymouth Diving then claimed two podium placings in the women’s 10m synchro final.

However, there was a bit of a surprise as the new Great Britain pairing of Plymouth’s World Series champion Tonia Couch and Leeds’ European Games champion Lois Toulson had to settle for second on their debut together.

They were beaten by Georgia Ward and Emily Boyd, who scored 306.36 to win by just less than nine points.

Couch and Toulson scored 297.71. Plymothian Couch has previously enjoyed a highly successful partnership with city team-mate Sarah Barrow.

There was a bronze medal for Plymouth divers Robyn Birch and Victoria Vincent, who scored 285.48.

Couch, Barrow, Vincent, Birch, Shanice Lobb, Sarah White and Cody Powell-Tuckett will be looking for individual success in the platform event on Saturday.