THOUSANDS of people aged over 60 who enjoyed free swimming sessions have been told the offer will end next week.

The free swims, described as being part of the 2012 "Olympic dividend" and operated by Exeter City Council and Mid Devon District Council, end on July 31 with the withdrawal of Government funds.

They were originally planned to end in March next year.

Sheila Curzon, secretary of the Devon Pensioners' Action Forum said: "It is very disappointing that elderly people should be among the first to be hit by spending cuts.

"The free swims have been taken up by thousands of over-60s who have greatly enjoyed the opportunity and the benefit it has provided for their health."

And it is not just the over-60s who have been hit by the withdrawal of the free passes.

Bronwyn Nott, 62, and her husband Colin, who live in Sandford, near Crediton, have a severely disabled daughter, Rachel, 19.

Mrs Nott said: "I have a free swim pass and take Rachel swimming once a week at Lords Meadows in Crediton.

"A few weeks ago, the receptionist told me I would no longer be able to use my pass as the Government were stopping them from July 31.

"My main bugbear is that as a carer of a disabled young person, I no longer get the carers allowance — of only £50 — even though my caring role is expected to continue.

"Carers save this country £87billion a year."

An Exeter City Council spokesman said: "We currently operate the over-60s free swimming scheme funded through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The current scheme has been withdrawn and will cease on July 31."

Exeter City Council did fund its own free swimming for under-16s in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 at a cost of £100,000 a year.

"We have no plans to fund our own scheme."

In the 15 months that the scheme has been running in Mid Devon, there have been more than 20,000 visits made by over-60s swimmers.

If the scheme was continued and subsidised by the council, it would cost more than £18,000 which has not been budgeted for. The option in Mid Devon is for the over-60s to simply "pay and play" which will cost between £1 and £3.30 depending on their ability to pay.

Free swimming for the over-60s was introduced by the Labour Government in April 2009 with Exeter MP and then Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw describing it as part of the "2012 dividend" with people inspired to get active before the London Olympics in 2012.

The scheme was funded by the departments of Culture, Health, Work and Pensions, Children, Schools and Families and Local Government. East Devon District Council did not take part in the scheme.

A spokesman for Age Concern Exeter said: "We are very sorry to see it go. For some older people, it has been beneficial."