AFTER a hard week at the office most people just want to put their feet up and relax, especially when the weather is as magnificent as it has been over the bank holiday weekend.

For many of us a walk to the nearest beer garden would be exercise enough as you wonder just where those cyclists and joggers get their energy from.

But that is certainly not the case for Dinkie Flowers who firmly believes that exercise is good for the mind, body and soul.

Now aged 97, Dinkie, who made a name for herself as a dancer and ice skater, is enjoying life as much as ever.

Indeed, despite the advancing years, she is still holding dance classes in Shoreham and passing on her expert skills and advice to those who aspire to follow in her footsteps or even just learn to dance for enjoyment.

She has been teaching for the past 50 years and says energy and determination are the key ingredients to being a success.

Born in Hove, she has danced and skated all over the world, including performing in Baghdad after the British Embassy asked her to go.

She only stopped performing as an ice skater 20 years ago when she appeared in Stars On Ice in Brighton.

On Saturday there will be a party in her honour at the Shoreham Centre where family, friends and hopefully some of those who performed with her in the past will be in attendance.

Hers has been a quite remarkable life and is quite rightly being celebrated in style.

More of us should certainly take a leaf out of her book and get active rather than becoming couch potatoes.