Swimmer Rachel Greagg would love to have a shot at a channel crossing - but instead the mum of three is meeting the challenge in bite-sized chunks to raise money for a spinal cord injury charity.

Rachel, 39, from Godmanchester, is swimming the 22 miles at the Sports Direct pool in Huntingdon over seven weeks, completing 316 lengths of front crawl at the 16-metre pool each session.

She is able to fit the sessions in around looking after her children, aged six, four and one, and is already half way to France.

Rachel is trying to raise as much money as she can for Aspire, the spinal cord injury charity.

She said: “I was watching a programme on TV about emergencies which included a man who had fallen off a horse and was paralysed. It was just so awful.

“I had been reading about swimming the channel because I would like to do that one day and then up popped the Aspire charity swim.”

Rachel said: “I took on the challenge as I felt it was such a worthwhile charity and one that is not always in the public eye, plus I love swimming.”

She said staff at the pool had been “brilliant” in letting her have a lane for the session which took her about an hour and a half each time.

Rachel said: “My little boys always give me a high five every time I have done a swim.”

Donations can be made to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rachel-greagg-2017-channel-swim-19165.