How I overcame my fear and learned to swim

At the age of 30 it amuses me how genuinely surprised people are when I tell them I have the same swimming capabilities as an anchor.

But in my teenage years in particular it was an admission I did my utmost to keep to quiet.

If it got out I would soon be at the deep end of ridicule and easy jokes.

However having accepted my failure to pick up such a fundamental skill while I was a child perhaps wasn't my fault I have finally decided to take the plunge and learn how to do it. How hard can it be?

I was quite relaxed upon driving towards the Village Hotel in Walsall, the venue for the first of several lessons which are being very kindly provided by nation-wide franchise Swimtime.

But it wasn't long before the old fears began to drown my consciousness. It's the smell of chlorine that does it. It always seems to seep through the walls and doorways of any given leisure centre and invade my senses before I have even got through the entrance. From then on I was anxious.

The sight of the pool itself compounded my dread. I can't quite put my finger on exactly why water evokes such terror in me. Forget The Exorcist the scariest film ever for me is Titanic. I literally can't watch the last hour. More than anything it is probably the thought of being overwhelmed by the water and flailing about in a panic trying to stay afloat with no solid ground beneath me.

That fear has only grown over time, which has made deciding to take lessons easier to put off with each passing year.

But after a few calming words from my tutor Heather it is finally time to start. And what an introduction it was.

To my initial horror she said the first thing we would be doing is breathing under water, moving swiftly on to full facial submersion with my eyes open - albeit with the aid of goggles. My heart sank. Meanwhile my mind screamed 'I thought that wouldn't be until lesson three!'

I should point out these are two things I have never done in my life. Talk about facing your fear.

But to hell with it. There was no going back now. Immediately thinking I would choke on water I plunged by face into the pool.

I was told to exhale steadily for around five seconds but my instinct was to exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale.

To my pleasant surprise, letting in the odd bit of water didn't prompt a mass fit of coughing and spluttering.

At the same time my eyes were open to a whole new world. Okay it was just the bottom of a swimming pool oddly distorted through water, but not something I had seen first-hand before.

I emerged to the surface exhilarated. In five seconds I felt like two decades worth of irrational fear had drifted away.

A few more attempts and the breathing rhythm started to improve, so next it was on to a few floating techniques.

I was expecting an arsenal of arm bands, a surfboard-sized float and perhaps an inflatable ring to help ease me in, but no, the only buoyancy aid I would have at my disposal would be a thin bendy piece of foam called a woggle.

As it turns out it is surprisingly effective. Holding on to it with my arms out kept my upper half at water level but I can't help but tense up for the first few times which sees by lower half sink slightly.

But after a while I learn to relax my torso which results in an almost effortless ascent to the surface.

Next up is floating belly-up which again requires relaxing the body whilst at the same projecting my stomach upwards slightly which certainly tests the core muscles.

After a few relatively successful tries I am back on my front floating again, only this time practising kicking my legs.

My instinct is to thrash about like I'm running through the water but the technique required is more subtle.

Heather tells me to kick fast but keep my legs close together while pointing my toes out. For a beginner it's trickier than it sounds.

Another vital skill I'm taught in a jam-packed session is how to right myself from a horizontal float position to a standing one.

By bringing my knees to my chest and pushing my arms down through the water my body rotates forward with ease. It's simple but amazing how much reassurance it gives you knowing you can self-right instantly if I found myself in a bit of bother.

To conclude lesson one I have to kick off from the end of the pool and glide through the water, at first clasping the woggle for dear life.

It sounds so easy but it is the culmination of everything I have learnt in the previous 25 minutes; steady breathing, relaxing the body, maintaining balance and then reverting to an upright position.

And that was that. Okay so I am still a 'none-swimmer' but in 30 minutes I have conquered a fear that has loitered like a shark over my life for too long.

I missed out on several school trips away which involved swimming, made excuses not to go the pool with my friends and have even shied away from sunkist holidays abroad because of the inevitable proximity of the sea or even just a hotel-side swimming pool. It really didn't have to be that way.

But contrary to my previous belief I am not the only one that has reached adulthood with an inability to swim.

There are more than nine million over-14s in England who have the same affliction according to the Amateur Swimming Association.

Linda Price, ambassador for Swimtime, said: "Adults who are unable to swim can be faced with huge barriers in their everyday lives, such as spending quality time with their friends or children on holiday and at health clubs. "What's more, as obesity levels rise and activity levels dip, it's becoming increasingly important for adults to learn to swim in order to keep in shape and stay healthy.

"We find that people are usually put off swimming due to a lack of lessons during school or a bad experience with aquatics as a child.

"Having lessons as an adult can be challenging but it's worthwhile getting to grips with swimming as early as possible, given the social and health benefits it provides."

Regardless of your age if you can't swim there is no time like now to pick up the woggle. My next lesson is already booked in.

If anyone wants to ask about learning to swim with Swimtime contact the West Midlands office on 0121 3710498 or email westmids@swimtime.org

You can also message Swimtime in West Mids on Facebook.