Lundy swim team appeals for support

AS revealed in the Gazette last month, a team of four swimmers hopes to complete the first ever relay swim from Lundy to Woolacombe. Bruce Hughes, from Fremington, Paul Irwin, from Braunton, Simon Mathers, from Bideford, and Jon Parker from Clevedon in S

AS revealed in the Gazette last month, a team of four swimmers hopes to complete the first ever relay swim from Lundy to Woolacombe.

Bruce Hughes, from Fremington, Paul Irwin, from Braunton, Simon Mathers, from Bideford, and Jon Parker from Clevedon in Somerset together with swim tactician and reserve swimmer John Jameson, from Exeter , will be setting off from Lundy on August 16.

They plan to swim the estimated 21 miles to the mainland hope to raise �10,000 for the Children's Hospice South West.

On Thursday, four of the five team members met for a brief pre-event press call and swim off Ilfracombe pier. Braced against the chilly harbour waters with state-of-the-art Sailfish swim-suits the men drew bemused looks from curious tourists as they took to the sea in front of television cameras and news crews.

Swimmer and project leader Paul Irwin said the team was now ready for the challenge and hoped that the public would get behind them to help them smash their fund-raising target.

"We have spent the last 12 months training in the pool and the sea in order to build the stamina we will need to be able to swim our personal legs of the relay," he said.

"We're not superhuman swimmers. We're just ordinary blokes who want to do something different and raise money for and awareness of the hospice.

"We recognise that not everyone is as fortunate as us. We have our health and often take that for granted. For the children at Children's Hospice South West, every day is a challenge, but one that they take on with the sort of optimism we can learn a lesson from."

The swimmers already have the support of sponsors such Saltrock, Gatorade and Sailfish and will be backed up on the day by boats being provided by Ilfracombe Yacht Club, Rudi Lancaster and Bristol Channel Charters.

Also on board will be a medic team which includes Dr Rob Casserley, who recently featured on BBC TV's Everest ER, and Fremington GP Dr Miranda Coberman.

A big party is being held in Woolacombe's Red Barn to welcome the swimmers to the mainland.

Paul said: "Please send us a donation and come along to the Red Barn afterwards to catch up with us all."

In case of bad weather, August 30 has been set aside as a reserve day.

People can donate money online through the Just Giving website at www.justgiving.com/lundyswim