CITY of Newcastle swimmer Chris Cook will spearhead a triple-pronged North-Eastern attack as Britain sends a strong squad to the Dutch World Championship trials in Eindhoven this weekend.

Cook will be joined by Stockton duo Jessica Dickons and Jemma Lowe as 15 British swimmers travel to Holland to warm up for the following week's European Short Course Championships in Helsinki.

"The opportunity to race world-class swimmers and to get back on to the circuit is just so welcome because it's been quite a slog so far this winter," said Cook, a double gold medallist at this year's Commonwealth Games.

"I'm really looking forward to it. It will be great to get out there to blow away the cobwebs. After all of the training we've been doing, it's the best preparation for getting that race pace and speed just right."

Cook's autumn training programme has been affected by a groin injury he sustained in the summer but, with March's World Championships already looming large, the breaststroke specialist is hoping an enforced lay-off could prove beneficial in the long run.

"Following the European Championships (long course) this summer, I returned home straight away and had two weeks hard work before taking a break," he explained. "That's something I hadn't tried before, but it's really paid off for me.

"My skill levels are up and I haven't struggled to regain the fitness I normally lose by taking a two-week break.

"Normally, I would have spent time abroad over the past few months warm-weather training, but I've stayed in the UK to make sure I'm over the groin injury which held me back at the European Championships.

"The affected leg is now contributing to my stroke whereas I was just getting by throughout the summer."