A GROUP of swimmers from a West Fife swimming club splashed out to swim the Channel recently for a special fundraiser.

Youngsters – and coaches – from InCAS were in deep water on Thursday October 6 as they dived into the challenge to swim 21 miles.

The club, which trains at Carnegie Leisure Centre, undertook the eye-catching challenge in a bid to raise club funds, and accumulated more than £3,000.

The team, which has members of all different ages and abilities ranging from aged five to 18 and novice to British level completed the 1,344 length feat in just 44 minutes – smashing their challenge of finishing in under an hour.

Head Coach, Barry McMillan, swam the “maiden voyage” by completing the first length of the evening.

He said: "We are a team at InCAS, we like to celebrate everyone's success and achievements so it was important to me that all our members could play their part in this event and regardless of where they were on the swim pathway this occasion was inclusive of everyone.

"Family and friends turned out in numbers to help on poolside and support from the spectators stand. This fantastic fundraiser showcased that InCAS team work certainly made the dream work!"

As well as assistance from family members and friends, the swimmers were treated to a DJ and photographers, who were there to capture the moment, amidst a carnival atmosphere.

Barry's wife, Susan, is also involved with the club and their son, Matthew, is a member of the Scottish national junior swimming team.

She revealed that a rise in pool hire costs, and the ability to host events after the pandemic, had contributed to the fundraiser taking place, and she said: "We're getting back to some galas and some different things going on.

"It is a smaller club but we are probably one of the most successful in Fife. My son, Matthew, is a member of the Scottish national junior team. We've got his talent up at the top end, and we've got junior academy swimmers, we've got national swimmers, and we've got novice swimmers.

"My husband's a great believer that a five-year-old in our club could be the next Commonwealth star, or could be the next Olympian. Everyone counts in our club; that's our club ethos.

"We wanted a fundraiser that captured everyone. It doesn't matter if you could only swim a length, or wanted to swim 100 lengths, they were all going to contribute to the fundraiser.

"It was easily done in 44 minutes, and we have got a lot of good talent in our club to carry something like that off. It was just something a bit different.

"They all had a buzz. They had a great time."