Kirklees Active Leisure has been offering teenagers and people aged over 60 free swimming lessons during the summer holidays.

The classes are only available to those who cannot already swim and are running from 20 July until 30 August at four pools operated by the leisure trust.

Jane Donarski, swimming development co-ordinator for the district, said: "Since April, we have been offering free swimming during public swim sessions for children up to 16 years old and those aged 60 and over at all our pools in line with the government's free swimming initiative.

"We decided to take it one stage further and put money into teaching teenagers and older people who couldn't swim at all. Swimming is a vital life skill as well as being one of the best ways to exercise and have fun.

"In Kirklees, about a third of children and a quarter of adults cannot swim which is why this initiative is so important. The teenage age group is the group most at risk from drowning."