I WAS delighted to read of the Service To Sport award to Dennis Woodcock for his dedication to sport in York (Evening Press, April 17).

More than 20 years ago we started taking our younger son to New Earswick swimming baths on a Saturday night, a session regularly attended by Dennis.

Our son soon learned to swim but, try as we might, he could not be persuaded to leave the safety of shallow water. Dennis noticed this and tried to persuade him to attempt a length of the pool by offering to swim alongside him, but our son was having none of it.

As we left the building that evening, Dennis asked our son the name of his favourite sweets. The following week Dennis arrived with a bag of the appropriate sweets and told our son that as soon as he had swum a length of the pool the sweets were his.

Needless to say the mission was quickly accomplished and the bag was duly handed over.

Ten years later our son was attacked by a group of hooligans and thrown fully clothed into the River Ouse. He told me later that, as he swam to the riverbank, he kept saying to himself "thanks mum, for insisting that I learn to swim - you said that one day it could save my life."

The thanks should have been directed at Dennis - and his bag of "coconut mushrooms"! I shall be eternally grateful to him - after all he was the one who really saved my son's life.

Many congratulations, Dennis, you truly deserve your award.

Mrs D Ainscow,

Briergate,

Haxby,

York.

Updated: 10:20 Saturday, April 24, 2004