A 94-YEAR-OLD swimmer from Weymouth has received an award for bringing ‘a sense of community, friendship and happiness’ to so many people over the years.

Staff at Everyone Active Swimming and Fitness Centre in Weymouth nominated Terence Ganney for a senior swimmer award in the Kellogg’s Swimtastic Awards and he was a winner.

The awards ‘celebrate and reward the unsung heroes of aquatics’.

Swimming lesson manager Tracey Desmond said: “We strongly feel Terence deserved this award as he has brought a sense of community, friendship and happiness to so many colleagues and customers over the many years he has been swimming with us.”

Staff said Mr Ganney had been swimming at the pool at least twice a week for as long as any of the staff could remember.

Mrs Desmond said Mr Ganney was a ‘very special’ person. She said: “He’s lovely. He’s kind to everyone that comes in – he’s so popular. We are very fond of him.

“The fact he won this award is brilliant. It’s very well deserved.”

Mr Ganney said it was nice to be recognised with the award. He said: “I only do it to show the young people that you can be fit at any age.”

He added: “I do it because I enjoy sport. It must do you good, it must keep you reasonably fit.”

Mr Ganney said that in his youth he used to play table tennis and was on a badminton team in Dorchester.

He said he would like to thank the staff at the pool and added: “They are really helpful.”