A PENSIONER has swum a length for every year of his life in his first ever fundraising event at the age of 84.

Bill Marlow, of Rutland Avenue, Knuzden, completed a mammoth 84 lengths in one hour and 40 minutes to raise £1,250 for cancer charity Macmillan.

Blackburn-born Bill decided on the challenge as a way to celebrate his birthday, after friends had been struck down with disease and were left needing assistance from the charity.

Bill, a former police officer, was joined by supporters Sandra Barney and Michael Hunt, both of Darwen, who also completed the 84 length swim at JJB soccerdome in Blackburn on December 15.

Daredevil Bill originally wanted to raise money by taking part in a parachute jump but was told that he too old, but now has his sights set on wing walking, standing on a flying aeroplane, to raise more money for the charity.

Bill said: “The Macmillan nurses do an excellent job and don’t get paid for it, so I decided that I should raise some money for them while I still could.

“I come swimming three or four times a week and thought that I would swim the same number of lengths as my age. I think if I’m still fit when I’m 100 I will try and swim 100 lengths!

“I would also like to take part in more adventurous challenges like wing walking and maybe mountain climbing — they are all things I would have liked to have done as a kid but couldn’t.

“I might be 84 but I still feel 20 and I don’t want my age to dictate what I can and can’t do.”

Barbara Sharpe, fundraising manager for Macmillan said: “It is very unusual that we have someone of his age raising so much money for charity.

"It is a fantastic achievement and the money will all be used in Lancashire to help other families who need support from Macmillan.”