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Brothers set out to swim 90-mile River Eden

Calum and Robbie Hudson Credit: ITV Border

Three brothers are setting off this morning to swim the entire length of the River Eden.

Robbie, Calum and Jack Hudson plan to complete the 90-mile journey in nine days in a feat they say will make them the first people to ever swim the whole of the river.

The brothers now live away from Cumbria but grew up in Langwathby near Penrith and spent their childhoods roaming the countryside and swimming in rivers.

A stretch of the River Eden in Carlisle Credit: ITV Border

The River Eden is the ninth longest in Britain. It starts at Mallerstang on the border between Cumbria and North Yorkshire and flows into the sea at the Solway Firth. The brothers will have to navigate rapids, jump waterfalls, gorges and weirs and conquer the river.

Their adventure is in aid of the Swimming Trust - a charity dedicated to getting more people swimming.

"After all the planning, preparation and build up I just can't wait to get swimming.

"We want to actively encourage and inspire people of all ages to get out there and enjoy swimming and immerse themselves in the nature.

"We couldn't think of a better charity to support than The Swimming Trust, which is dedicated to getting more people swimming. They know that swimming provides the ideal environment to develop skills that will benefit individuals throughout their lives.

"There are groups and individuals who are likely to miss these opportunities without help from the Swimming Trust. That's why they aim to identify every barrier to participation, whether they are physical, cultural or financial, so that more people can enjoy the wide ranging benefits of swimming."

– Calum Hudson