Friends help raise £28k in Channel charity swim

Clare Kedwell said the feat filled her with "a huge sense of pride"

Two friends have swum the English Channel, helping to raise £28k for swimming lessons for disadvantaged children.

Clare Kedwell, 50, and Sarah Branson, 53, from Hastings, braved freezing water, strong tides, jellyfish and exhaustion to cross from Dover's Samphire Hoe to Cap Gris-Nez in France earlier this month.

The pair made the gruelling 22-mile (35.4km) journey as part of two relay teams - Ms Kedwell's group Blue Tide reaching its destination in 16 hours and 15 minutes, while Ms Branson's Riptide Racers clocked in at 17 hours and 34 minutes.

It was an especially difficult task for Ms Branson, who admitted that 12 months ago she could barely swim a length of her local swimming pool.

"I tore my meniscus a few years ago and wanted to show that, however old and broken, we can do hard things," she said.

"Swimming the Channel is not just about the physical challenge, but the mental belief that you can do this.

Ms Kedwell added: "When our families met us back at Dover, it was a big emotional moment.

"Looking out to sea and realising I swam that gave me a huge sense of pride."

Sarah Branson was raising money for the charity SwimTayka

Each swimmer took on one-hour stints in their teams, plunging into dark, unpredictable waters from their aptly named support boat, High Hopes.

Their eventual success was due to months of dedication, early morning sea dips, endurance training and ice-cold plunges.

The pair added that their friendship inspired them both to keep going.

The money raised so far will go to SwimTayka, a charity providing free swimming lessons and environmental education to underprivileged children living along the world's rivers, lakes and coasts.