BRADFORD on Avon instructor Geoff Williams won a bronze medal at the World Masters Lifesaving Championships in the south of France.

Williams, the current over-60’s RLSS British Lifesaving Champion, picked up the surprise accolade at La Grande Motte beach, Montpellier, France.

He competed on the first two days of the Championships at the Olympic 50m indoor Antigone Pool, finishing in 10th place in the 100m obstacle swim (a swim is broken by diving under four one-metre deep immersed nets).

That followed a disappointing first race,with a technical disqualification in the 100m Fin and Tow, after an initial sixth place finishing time.

On days three and four, the championships moved 10 miles to the Mediterranean, for the Open Water swimming, board, surf boat and beach events.

In the Sea Surf open water race, Williams finished in 21st place, just behind Dave Morgan, of the Cornish Surf Lifesaving Club, Hayle.

The last competition event was the 1000m beach run, with debutant Williams finishing in third place,winning the bronze in a field of 30.

“My training for the worlds had really all been geared to swimming events.

“My only competitive races in 40 years, other than some orienteering as a family, was a slow Bath Half Marathon in 2010 and I had really only entered the beach race as it was the final event of the whole competition and I was pretty sure I could finish it !

“I was just so surprised to have hung on and obviously even more delighted to have got the medal.’’