A WANDERERS legend is tackling a new fitness regime – at the age of 87!

Tommy Banks, a member of the Whites’ celebrated 1958 FA Cup winning side, has set up an exercise bike in his garage after having a pacemaker fitted two months ago.

The plucky pensioner cycles for between 20 minutes and half an hour on the machine before jumping off and doing 100 sit-ups.

It’s a regime that would put men many decades his junior to shame, but the former England and Bolton left back, said he had always kept himself in shape.

“I’m keeping my weight down, that’s why I’ve done it,” he said.

The former left back, from Farnworth, had a a triple bypass four years ago and was recently fitted with a pacemaker to give his heart a ‘kickstart’ should it begin beating to slowly.

But he joked that he wasn’t always as disciplined as he should be.

“I do it at least four times a week—but sometimes I forget on purpose,” he said.

“It’s something I’ve always done, although I didn’t when I was working as a hod carrier, going up and down all those ladders was enough for me.”

And he says that getting on his bike brings back memories of training in the gym during his playing days.

“It does remind me, it gets me up a bit. I do feel a bit fitter and I do feel like I have a bit more puff when I’m out walking my dog, Suzie. It keeps me going.”

The ex-Burnden Park favourite,who believes he and Dough Holden are the only members of Wanderers FA Cup winning side still living.

And he added that it was important to keep active at his age.

“You can die in a chair,” he said. “And I have no intention of going anywhere yet.”