SWIMMING legend Mervyn Sharp from Weymouth has been honoured in the United States for his record-breaking achievements.

The former 'King of the Channel' has just returned from Florida where he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Mervyn, accompanied by his wife Rose, attended the special event in Fort Lauderdale, where his name was enshrined alongside those of his heroes Johnny Weissmuller and Mark Spitz.

He was honoured in the marathon swimming category for his achievements, the highlight of which was swimming the Channel a record-breaking seven times.

Now back home in Weymouth, Mervyn said it had been a tremendous honour to be recognised by his peers.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," he said.

"I was rubbing shoulders with great swimmers from all over talking about what we'd all achieved and I felt very humbled.

"To be associated with Olympic winners and for some of them to come over to me and say 'Hey Merv, what was it like swimming the Channel?' was really something special. They looked after me from the moment I arrived until we left and I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

As part of the ceremony Mervyn, 57, had his name enshrined at the foot of a statue and received a special certificate and sash to mark the occasion.

On being inducted into the hall he was asked to give a short speech.

"Fortunately, I kept it pretty short, made a few jokes and they all laughed at the right places," he said.

"On the same evening we had a buffet followed by a special reception.

"I talked to a chap called Buck Dawson who I'd met years before when swimming in Canada.

"And I struck up a friendship with a former diver called Sammy Lee who had won a gold medal at the 1948 Olympics in London.

"The next day we had a barbecue in the sun and then a huge banquet where there must have been 400 people."

As well as a dip in the pool Mervyn took time to wander the Hall of Fame itself.

"I just wanted a bit of time to walk around the place because it is so huge.

"All the old greats like Johnny Weissmuller were on the walls and it was a special moment for me. Rose and I both enjoyed it so much.

"I'm so glad that I went because this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing and my name will be up there forever and a day."