TONY Burke’s dedication to Warrington Swimming Club has been recognised.

The club recently held their 133rd annual meeting, presenting Tony, aged 78 from Walton, with a silver salver after his 50 years’ service as the club’s treasurer.

Tony was appointed in 1964 when the previous treasurer, who retired after 53 years’ service, handed over the club’s ledger.

He accepted his award from the club chairman Dr Alan Boyle, another long-serving member of the committee.

Although Tony formerly had a very technical job working on advanced radar for the RAF, he has never owned a computer.

That meant he did the club’s accounts for 50 years as they had been done the previous 53 years, using a ledger to record the club’s accounts.

Tony, a former water polo goalkeeper who played for Cheshire and has two sons who still play the sport, stated he was pleased to leave the club with the accounts looking healthy and closed his ledger for the last time.

He now looks forward to playing even more rounds of golf in his retirement.

Christine Mansfield is to take over as the new treasurer although she does not anticipate being in the job for 50 years.