Already well-known in the Littlehampton area for scoring the winning goal and securing a gold medal for English football in the 2005 Deaf Olympics, 23-year-old BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lee Farrell has now become the UK’s first profoundly deaf lifeguard.

Helped by the newly-acquired sign language skills of his friend Andy Smith, who works with him at Littlehampton Swimming and Sports Centre, Farrell gave an outstanding performance in first aid, defibrillator usage and spinal management to qualify as a Swimming Teaching Association (STA) National Aquatic Rescue Standards (NARS) lifeguard.

In order to help him in his job, Farrell has been provided with a vibrating pager, funded by Access to Work and Royal British Legion Industries, which is linked into the centre’s fire alarm system.

“Lee’s a very enthusiastic member of staff at the centre and many of us have embarked on a sign language course to enhance our communication. His amazing sense of awareness makes him a brilliant lifeguard,” says swimming development officer Dave Candler.