This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-45332167
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh completes English Channel challenge | Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh completes English Channel challenge |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh has completed his challenge to swim the length of the English Channel in support of cleaning up the oceans. | Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh has completed his challenge to swim the length of the English Channel in support of cleaning up the oceans. |
| The 48-year-old finished the 560km (348 mile) gruelling swim from Land's End in Cornwall to Dover in Kent in 49 days. | The 48-year-old finished the 560km (348 mile) gruelling swim from Land's End in Cornwall to Dover in Kent in 49 days. |
| He was greeted at Shakespeare Beach by Environment Secretary Michael Gove. | He was greeted at Shakespeare Beach by Environment Secretary Michael Gove. |
| The environmental campaigner and UN Patron of the Oceans began the challenge on 12 July, swimming 10 to 20km (six to 12 miles) every day. | The environmental campaigner and UN Patron of the Oceans began the challenge on 12 July, swimming 10 to 20km (six to 12 miles) every day. |
| Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Mr Pugh described the challenge - the equivalent of swimming 16 English Channels back to back - as the "Everest of swims", and said it had been one of two halves. | |
| "The first half from Land's End all the way to the Isle of Wight was wonderful. Warm seas, flat seas. | "The first half from Land's End all the way to the Isle of Wight was wonderful. Warm seas, flat seas. |
| "The second half we've had storm after storm after storm," he said. | "The second half we've had storm after storm after storm," he said. |
| His campaign, called The Long Swim, aims to raise awareness of the threat to the UK's coastal waters from climate change, over-fishing and plastic pollution. | His campaign, called The Long Swim, aims to raise awareness of the threat to the UK's coastal waters from climate change, over-fishing and plastic pollution. |
| "What has really shocked me is just what I haven't seen - so I've seen a few fish," he said. | "What has really shocked me is just what I haven't seen - so I've seen a few fish," he said. |
| "I've seen a few dolphins, a few birds, lots of jellyfish, but virtually nothing else - the oceans around the United Kingdom are so badly over-fished. | "I've seen a few dolphins, a few birds, lots of jellyfish, but virtually nothing else - the oceans around the United Kingdom are so badly over-fished. |
| "We have this one opportunity now to protect the waters around the UK. | "We have this one opportunity now to protect the waters around the UK. |
| "If we don't do that there simply won't be any fish left for our generation. Forget about future generations if we don't take action right now," he said. | "If we don't do that there simply won't be any fish left for our generation. Forget about future generations if we don't take action right now," he said. |
| You may also like: | |
| Mr Pugh's swim has been observed and verified by the Channel Swimming Association. | Mr Pugh's swim has been observed and verified by the Channel Swimming Association. |
| "I swim according to Channel Swimming Association Rules... we swim with a cap, goggles, a pair of Speedo swimming trunks," he said. | "I swim according to Channel Swimming Association Rules... we swim with a cap, goggles, a pair of Speedo swimming trunks," he said. |
| "It's not that we want to be macho, but we want it to be tough. It's one of the toughest swims that you can do in the whole world. | "It's not that we want to be macho, but we want it to be tough. It's one of the toughest swims that you can do in the whole world. |
| "There's no reason why I should change those rules just because I'm swimming the full length." | "There's no reason why I should change those rules just because I'm swimming the full length." |