A courageous team of swimmers beat the weather to swim across the English Channel, raising more than £7,000 for Autism East Midlands.

Sarah Dunsbee and her husband, Tim, Cara Saunders and Jack Overton — all regulars at Mansfield’s Water Meadows Swimming and Fitness Complex — plus friends Anna Lord and Piers Martin completed the 21-mile challenge in 13 hours and three minutes.

It was inspired by one of Tim and Sarah’s children, Hayley, who has autism.

Family and friends are keen to promote awareness of this sometimes misunderstood condition.

But Hayley’s Channel Relay Team thought their chance had gone to tackle the swim because of dangerous conditions.

Anyone attempting the swim is given a week’s window of opportunity.

After a week of weather that created unsafe conditions in the Channel, the team was told the swim could not ahead.

Devastated, they started to head back home only to receive a phone call saying the weather was improving and if they could get back to Dover there was a chance.

They said after completing the fundraising effort: “To say this challenge was difficult was an understatement – we ended up swimming overnight in extremely rough and choppy conditions.

“We are delighted that we were able to undertake this challenge in the end and eventually set foot in France, raising an amazing amount of money for a cause that is close to our hearts.”

The Dunsbees completed a Channel swim in 2015.

Tim, who coaches the England men’s water polo team, said: “To support people with autism means a lot to me. After having our daughter, Hayley, we found a world that needs as much help as possible.”

Darren Kissane, commercial manager for Mansfield District Leisure Trust, which runs Water Meadows along with its managing agent, Serco Leisure, added: “Swimming the Channel once is a real achievement, but attempting it again just shows the dedication of Sarah, Tim and their team.”

Jack Knight, marketing and communications officer for Autism East Midlands, added: “We are extremely grateful for the support of Sarah and the team and the awareness they have raised, as this monster event helped people to talk and learn about autism.”

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