Dorset swimmers complete Channel crossing for charity

The team, named Cathy and the Buoys, featured Cathy Lewis and Mark Bauer from Swanage, Anthony Walton from Wareham, and Neil Ingle from Bournemouth.

The quartet all trained hard for the event, but for Cathy it was perhaps the biggest challenge.

Until her mid-40s, Cathy was not only a non-swimmer but also terrified of putting her head under water.

Cathy said: “I spent many years fighting to get over this crippling fear, but I knew there was always a chance that the Channel swim would bring it back. And it almost did.

“We set off in the dead of night, in rough sea conditions. When I looked down at the black, churning water – knowing that soon I had to jump in – I felt the onset of a panic attack. I was in tears, saying ‘I can’t do this.’”

To add to this; Cathy was violently sick for the hour before her swim.

Cathy said: “I have never been seasick before, so it was maybe down to nerves and the disorientating effect of the darkness. I managed to throw up over two of my teammates while they were swimming – the third escaped but he was being sick himself.”

One of the highlights of the swim was the sight of hundreds of iridescent jellyfish deep down under the swimmers with Cathy describing it as “surreal and utterly beautiful”.

Mark landed on the beach at Wissant, France, and on clearing the water, he raised his arms to signal to the boat, and the swim was officially competed – to cheers from French onlookers.

It was Mark’s third successful Channel crossing.

He said: “Landing the swim was a really emotional experience. It was made extra special by the fact that Cathy had (unusually) been allowed to join me once I’d cleared the water.”

The team has raised more than £2,300 for Project Planet Earth and more than £1,100 for the Mental Health Foundation.

Donations are still open here Project Planet Earth and the Mental Health Foundation.