A 90-YEAR-OLD woman who started swimming regularly at the age of 70 has been given life membership at her local club.

Fellow members of Worthing Swimming Club say Tessa Sprange, from Goring, is an inspiration and proves no one is too old to swim.

Twice a week for the past 20 years Tessa has attended classes at the Aquarena in Worthing.

After doing some swimming as a schoolgirl she stopped for more than half a century.

Even as a young mother when she took her own children swimming she never considered taking it up herself.

It was only when she reached the age of 70 she decided she wanted to learn.

She said: "I get a lot of pleasure out of swimming and I enjoy the social side of the swimming club as well.

"I like doing the back stroke best because it doesn't take a lot of energy and I can just keep going."

The club's adult swimming co-ordinator, John Dommen, said she was an inspiration to club members.

He said: "The other swimmers were very surprised to hear she was going to be 90. They thought she was a lot younger."

Tessa will celebrate her 90th birthday at a family gathering at the Roundabout Hotel in West Chiltington this weekend.

The club is also celebrating the achievements of one of its youngest members.

Rachel Gilbert, nine, a pupil at Thomas A'Becket Junior School in Worthing, is winning county gold medals.

She won gold for 50m back stroke at a swimming gala in Crawley.

For more information about the club, contact John Dommen on 01903 244470.