TWO swimmers from Poundstock have completed a milestone, after swimming over 16 miles from Hartland Point to Lundy Island in North Devon.

Steve Maclure and Gary Readman from Poundstock, near Bude, swam 16.25 miles from Hartland Point to Lundy Island on Friday, September 1, starting their journey in the early hours of the morning and finishing nearly eight and a half hours later at the island.

The friends have trained locally in facilities such as Bude Sea Pool, where they trained for approximately eleven miles of swimming. However, the hard-hitting 16.25 miles on the day was something they did not anticipate.

This is something that has only been successfully attempted once before, by an Egyptian man called Captain Hassan Abdel Rahim in 1952, who swam on his own due to his partner from Barnstaple, Cyril Webber, pulling out due to sea sickness.

The pair have extended their thanks for all the support they have received, and to everyone who has donated, having raised over £7,000 for three causes in Bude — Bude Rugby Club Minis and Juniors, Corey Alway and Ben Bennett.