A grandfather who had a fear of water has praised a prisoner who saved his life after he got into difficulty.

Heart disease sufferer Alfie White, who battles with chronic pain in his legs and back, uses the pool at HMP Standford Hill to ease his condition.

The 59-year-old, of Lady Winter Drive, Minster, says he has had a fear of water since he almost drowned as a child.

But since he started using the prison pool two years ago he has overcome this with the help of the inmates who work there as lifeguards.

He aims to use the pool around three times a week and was doing his usual exercises when he got into trouble.

He said: “I was on my last lap – no one else was in the pool and all of a sudden I got into a bit of trouble.

“I swallowed some water; it was a bit frightening and I panicked.

“I went under the water and I was drowning.”

A prisoner, who Mr White knows as Skip, dived straight in and got him safely to the edge of the pool.

Mr White, who has 15 grandchildren, said the prisoner saved his life and he believes that if Skip had not been there, he would have drowned.

Skip is a gym orderly at the prison and is one of a number of inmates employed to work at the pool.

They are trained to Swimming Teachers’ Association standards and are qualified lifeguards.

Mr White added: “It’s taken me years and years to get anywhere near water.

“I would like to thank Skip and the man that teaches all the prisoners to be lifeguards because I think they do a wonderful job.

“I know they have done wrong but, if it wasn’t for him, then I might not be here today.

“I couldn’t even swim if it wasn’t for those prisoners – I would still be sitting on the edge of that pool.

“They are really good and they gave me a lot of encouragement and that’s why I would like to thank them.”