Ian has been an integral member of the Devon and Cornwall Lifesaving Team since the late 1970s and has been the driving force behind the success the team has been fortunate enough to experience. Ian is due to retire after 30 years service in September 2009 and it will see the end of a fantastic contribution to Police Lifesaving.

Ian joined Devon and Cornwall Police as a cadet in April 1977 and during his cadet service was an active member of the lifesaving section and attended his first competition within the Police Baton Finals during the early 1980s. Ian proved to be a strong swim and tow competitor and gained himself a reputation as an expert rope thrower despite a fairly unorthodox style. His strength however, was within the incident part of the event where his life saving knowledge and leadership skills came to the fore.

During the 1980s, under Ian's guidance the Devon and Cornwall men's team went from strength to strength and Ian was captain when they won the Police Baton for the first time in 1988 at York.

Ian has remained the Captain ever since and with an ever ageing group of good friends the team has remained pretty much the same under his sound stewardship. Te team has prospered, being fortunate to have won the Police Baton on a further 10 occasions.

As an individual he has won the men's title 3 times; in 1994 at Templemore in the Republic of Ireland, 1998 at Exeter and in 2008 at Bournemouth. Not only has he been involved in lifesaving within the police, but has also been very active outside as a competitor, trainer, assessor, grade B international referee and manager.

Ian has regularly competed in the RLSS open National Championships at Coventry and for a period of 15 years has never been outside the top 7 competitors in the ‘open' age group. He has won the 40 to 50 yr age group 7 times, the most recent being in November 2008.

He is the chairman of the Devon branch of the RLSS, a position he has held for the lat 15 years and he is an active member of the RLSS National Development Committee, as well as coaching at a local club in South Devon.

Finally, Ian has been the coach and manager of the Great Britain Junior Life Saving Team since 2005.

Ian has made an amazing contribution to Lifesaving and will be sadly missed from Police Lifesaving on his retirement from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.