TRIBUTES have been paid to a woman who taught generations of children to swim.

Yvonne Foster died on July 22, aged 85, after suffering from Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Mrs Foster lived in Ampleforth for 35 years and was a keen swimmer, taking part in numerous swimathons to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

She began teaching swimming in 1974 and taught her three children, six grandchildren and the children of friends.

Mrs Foster specialised in helping nervous children, teenagers and adults overcome their fear of the water and become confident swimmers.

She also wrote a children’s book called Hi...I Want To Swim! which was laminated so it can be taken to the pool.

Mrs Foster also taught Robert Peston, now ITV political editor to dive after a feature on Radio 4. After hearing that Mr Peston wanted to learn, she applied and was invited to Park Road Swimming Pool, in north London, to give him a lesson, teaching him to dive in a couple of hours.

After being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) last September, Mrs Foster started fundraising for research into the illness at the Sheffield Institute of Neuroscience.

Mrs Foster planned to raise £5,000, however the final total was more than £18,500 after taking part in a glider flight off Sutton Bank in March.

Sue Stirling, one of her children, said: “Mum taught two generations of children to swim - it is hard to go anywhere in the Ampleforth area without meeting a former pupil of hers. She organised and participated in many sponsored swims, wrote a children’s book about swimming and was even featured on Radio 4 teaching Robert Peston, now ITV political editor, how to dive.

“Most recently, in March this year, while virtually paralysed from the neck down by MND, she undertook a gliding flight from Sutton Bank and raised over £18,500 for a MND research charity.

“Her sense of adventure, her indomitable determination and her community spirit will be greatly missed by all her many friends and family.”