Swimmer to take on English Channel for charity

Lindsey Walke is a lifelong sea swimmer

A long-distance swimmer is on the brink of attempting to achieve a lifelong dream by swimming the English Channel.

On Monday morning Lindsey Walke, 49, from Plymouth, said she was waiting for the call from her boat pilot to begin the challenge, a feat that could take up to 13 hours.

Ms Walke, a lifelong swimmer, said the Channel swim had been on her bucket list since childhood.

"It's the pinnacle for someone who swims, it's taken me until now to have the time, money, and confidence to do it," she told BBC Radio Devon.

Lindsey Walke is hoping she may spot some dolphins during the swim

Last year she completed the 14-mile (23km) Eddystone Lighthouse to Plymouth Hoe swim in just over eight hours, an experience that helped build confidence for the Channel.

The English Channel is roughly 21 miles (34km) in a straight line, but she will need to swim significantly further due to tides and currents.

Ms Walke has trained extensively in cold water with sessions lasting up to six hours.

"The water's around 14C right now," she said.

"It's chilly, but I've worked hard on acclimatisation."

She is swimming in memory of her late grandmother, who had Alzheimer's, and is raising funds for the Alzheimer's Society.

"I wanted to do something meaningful and personal," she said.

Despite the physical and mental demands, Ms Walke finds peace in the water.

"You get into a zone. It's hard to explain, but you just keep moving.

"And if I'm lucky, I might even spot some dolphins along the way."

She is now waiting for the go-ahead from the Channel Swimming Association, which co-ordinates crossings, for the swim from Dover to Wissant in France.