A woman who has volunteered at Watford Sea Lions Swimming Club for disabled people for more than 30 years has won a £1,000 bursary to support her work.

Volunteer Jane Stonelake has won the bursary as part of the The Brewers Fayre Local Heroes scheme run by the Rising Sun outlet in Whippendell Road, Watford.

The scheme aims to search and discover "selfless individuals" who go the extra mile to improve the lives of others in their community. The scheme invites residents to nominate those in their area who they believe are the most deserving.

Jane was nominated by her friend, Vanessa Mackay, who praises her continuous hard work and dedication to the Sea Lions, of which she is currently chairwoman. The club offers people of all ages with a temporary or permanent disability, a place to swim in safety and somewhere to enjoy the water.

Vanessa said: "When I read about the campaign I immediately thought of Jane. She has dedicated her time to the club for so long; I couldn't think of a more deserving person."

Jane, who plans to use the bursary to help fund a programme of activities that will be available to all members, said: "This is fantastic. This money is just what we need to assist in running extra activities at the club and reach out to more people. This is great news for everyone, not just me."

Emma Price, Marketing Manager of Brewers Fayre, said: "It is a pleasure to award this bursary to reward Jane for her commitment to helping those less fortunate in the community. Jane is a true hero in our eyes and we hope this money will help her continue her hard work."