TWELVE-year-old Will Morgan has proved something of a veteran when it comes to outdoor swimming.

The youngster from Walney Island, has taken part in every Swim Safe session on Windermere since they started back in 2014.

And the training he received from the RNLI and Swim England programme has already reaped an important benefit by ensuring he survived a potentially dangerous open water incident.

To recognise Will's commitment to the sessions, organiser Caroline Smith presented him with some special gifts, including a Swim Safe hoodie, thermal mug, hat and towing buoy for him to use when he goes swimming outdoors.

She said: "Will came on our very first Swim Safe and has been every year since. His mum really feels it’s important to learn these messages early.

"Will has actually been in trouble in water when his inflatable dinghy blew away from shore. Luckily, he remained calm and knew what to do."

The free Swim Safe sessions at Windermere are run for seven to 14-year-olds by Swim England and the RNLI in partnership with GLL and South Lakeland District Council, which contributes £5,000 a year to the sessions.

At Windermere, the programme includes two weeks of sessions for local schools and two weeks of public sessions, as well as those for groups of both adults and children with special educational needs, making the Swim Safe as inclusive as possible.