ROWER Patrick Tolfree from Dorchester is taking to the water at the Henley Royal Regatta at the age of 76.

He will be following a family tradition as his great great uncle Charles Wordsworth was co-founder of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

Mr Tolfree, who has Parkinson’s Disease, has been training to row the one-and-a-half mile course on June 10.

Freelance writer Mr Tolfree, who is also a descendant of the poet Wordsworth, hopes to raise £10,000 for Parkinson’s UK.

He said: “The connection with my great great uncle gives it an extra interest.

“I just wish I had done more rowing when I was younger. I played rugby and did a little rowing when I went to Oxford.”

He added: “I am looking forward to the row with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.”

Mr Tolfree took home an oar after success in the summer ‘bumps’ rowing races while at Oxford University in 1955 but that was the last time he was in a rowing boat until April last year.

The Boat Race Founders Society arranged for him to try a row on the Ouse at Ely, near Cambridge.

Mr Tolfree, who has four grandchildren, said: “I found that it worked okay. The society is very sympathetic towards people with disabilities and we hatched the idea of a sponsored row.”

Mr Tolfree will row in a coxed four with staff from Canford School, near Wimborne, where he is training once a week.

Mr Tolfree said that he had always kept fit but re-focused his efforts on certain exercises after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991.

He said: “I would encourage anyone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s to take up some form of regular exercise.”

Sponsor Mr Tolfree at justgiving.com/PatrickRowsforParkinsons or call him on 01305 266273.