Swimmer completes English Channel charity crossing

A long-distance swimmer has completed a "bucket-list" moment by swimming the English Channel.

Lindsey Walke, 49, from Plymouth completed the swim on Saturday in 14 hours and 20 minutes.

The channel is roughly 21 miles (34km) wide in a straight line.

She said: "I did nowhere near a straight line, my tracking picture is quite wobbly but ultimately... I made it so I'm really happy."

Ms Walke said her swim was initially delayed due to weather conditions.

"I was on a standby list which could mean I could get a call with 24 to 48 hours and I had to be in Dover... that can be quite difficult because it's a good six hour drive away," she said.

"I didn't feel terribly nervous until I was actually on the boat," she added.

"The boat takes you around to the beach and then I was panic stricken. Internally my stomach was in knots but at the same time chomping at the bit, really excited to get going."

She said the swim was both "exhilarating" and "exhausting".

"I did hit a few brick walls, I had some mental demons during the swim and that's when you rely on your friends on the boat to sort of be a bit more positive and just encourage you to get going," she said.

"I had no choice but to keep moving and I knew eventually I would get there but it was mentally very tough."

Ms Walke said completing the challenge has always been a dream of hers and she wanted to combine it with raising money for charity.

"I looked a complete state but you don't care, you've finished, you've accomplished your goal, you're shocked, you're on cloud nine... I just had this big Cheshire cat grin on my face," she said.

She added she aimed to raise £1,000 for Alzheimer's Society but ended up raising nearly £3,000.

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