VIDEO: Exeter waterpolo player escapes Cube fire

Team captain was staying with friend

"It's been a bit of a pickle this weekend," says Exeter Ladies Waterpolo captain Amy Potter, in a rather understated way. She'd been staying with a friend in Bolton overnight on Friday when the student block caught fire. Two people were treated for injuries but the accommodation has been seriously damaged and the debate about cladding on tower blocks reignited, if that's not too clumsy a phrase.

Despite her belongings being lost to the flames, Ms Potter's weekend got better. Not only did she make it to her team's weekend fixtures, they won both and finish the weekend on top of national league three.

She says: “We all escaped unharmed [from the Cube] but my belongings including all my water polo kit for the weekend and my GB kit, were left in the flat. My team rallied round and lent me kit to play in, and it’s been a bit stressful but it’s all worth it now we’ve won our league. I’m so proud of my team and the way they played this weekend.”

Exeter Ladies beat previously undefeated leaders Cheltenham 10-5, and then Rotherham 10-9, taking them to the top of the table.

Team coach Kamz Powell congratulated the ladies, saying: “Exeter is a team of very young players - many of them still students, and so this is an amazing achievement in their first year of national league. They have worked together as a team and really raised their game in what is a well deserved win.”

Top goal scorer for Exeter was Jasmine Coleman. The team will now play the division two teams in play offs next year for promotion to division two.

Sponsorship is being sought from local organisations for next year to cover the entry and match costs. Ms Potter says: “Most of us are students and so don’t have much money, and the travel and accommodation for our tournaments is really expensive. We’d be so grateful for any contributions from local companies, no matter how small."