A FORMER army lieutenant is taking his scooter for a spin around the Martlets snails in memory of his two wives.

Jack Galway, 94, who lives in Hove, worked for CVA Jigs Moulds and Tools for most of his working life, having been called up as a soldier during the Second World War and rising through the ranks.

Being in good health, despite having contracted shingles in 2010 and broken his hip in a fall, he will tour 32 of the snails tomorrow in memory of his two wives, who were both cared for by Martlets before they died.

After the war and working nights at CVA, Jack decided to phone in sick one time and go to the Regent Ballroom for the night instead.

It was there that be bumped into Joan Gregory, a woman he first met when they were teenagers.

He said: “We married two years later in 1950.

“She became a partner in the Nevill Avenue Nursery School and her nurses’ training and ability to play the piano was ideal for it.

“She went on a tennis-coaching course and founded the Hove Park Junior Tennis Club, and was later captain of the Brighton and Hove Golf Club ladies section.

“We were married for 53 lovely years before we lost her to Alzheimers.”

In 2010, Jack met his second wife Pat at a bridge club, but she died in 2014.

Jack continued: “We lost Pat to cancer, and she spent her last days at Martlets.

“She was well known in Sussex due to her job as secretary to the deputy chief constable of Sussex for more than 20 years, where she became acquainted with many of the police who all found her so helpful.

“Pat also played the violin for the National Police Symphony Orchestra.”

Until just last year, he was driving a Honda Jazz, but his family encouraged him to trade it in for a mobility scooter, so he did.

He said: “I said to my family, ‘If anyone wants to buy me a top-of-the-range scooter, you can have the car.’

“My son Martin took me up on it, and now I use the scooter to go shopping, play bridge or ride along the seafront.”

Director of income generation at Martlets Sally Brighton said: “We are so thankful for the hard-work of avid local fundraisers like Jack.

"His super scooter challenge has already raised more than £1,000 in online and offline donations and we hope he enjoys the chance to be a bit more snail – even if he’s riding the Snailway on his scooter.”

To donate, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/jackgalwayssnailtrailscoot.