Harry Watson celebrated his birthday not with a tipple or a cake, but a long dip instead.

For the octogenarian decided 80 lengths of his local swimming pool would be the perfect way to enjoy his big day.

And Harry, pictured, took to the pool yesterday to clock up the 80 lengths - one for every year of his life.

The 2km birthday swim took him around two hours at Guiseley's Aireborough Leisure Centre.

But for the 80-year-old it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Because the retired newspaper man - who began his career as a 15-year-old trainee reporter at the Craven Herald - chalks up an average 200 lengths per week.

And Harry often completes 100 lengths during a single session - putting swimmers more than half his age to shame.

Harry, of Burley-in-Wharfedale, said he didn't think his birthday dip was unusual.

"It's nothing really," he said, "I swim three or four times a week."

And he believes his weekly swimming sessions are keeping him trim.

"It's a good deep breathing exercise and doing a steady breaststroke, I could swim all day.

"I just swim because it's a good way of keeping fit and keeping my weight steady," said Harry, who retired 15 years ago.

"I've always swum a lot and have been the same weight since I grew up."

And there was one more reason for Harry's pool-based exercise.

"I just do it to keep the undertaker away.''