Man, 64, completes solo English Channel swim

A Cleethorpes man has become one of only a few people over the age of 60 to swim the Channel solo.

Malc Pearce, 64, completed the 21 mile (34km) crossing in 14 hours and 58 minutes last week.

He swims with the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Water Rats who said there are fewer than 50 people over 60 who have managed the feat.

Pearce iis now about to do it again as part of a relay team from the club who are hoping to swim the Channel this week.

He told BBC Radio Humberside “A week later, I’m getting over it, it was rough when I first got in and I pulled my shoulder, which was aching all the way across. But I thought I’m not getting out until I’ve finished.”

“The water is that clear you can see the boat under the hull, it’s crystal clear and you can see jellyfish swimming.”

As soon as he jumped in the water at Dover, he was not allowed to touch anything until he arrived in France.

He said: “Statistics say in 2020 there were less than 35 people older than 60 who’ve done it.”

Pearce should have tackled the challenge last year but the weather thwarted his attempt.

He is getting ready to do it again.

However, this time he will be down it as part of a relay.

Weather permitting, he will swim through the night on Wednesday.

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch thelatest episode of Look Northor tell us about a story you think we should be covering Man, 64, completes solo English Channel.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices

More on this story