Jasmine Harrison: Youngest woman to row solo across Atlantic starts 900-mile Britain swim challenge

ITV News Correspondent Rupert Evelyn spoke with Jasmine Harrison before she set off for a gruelling swim which is expected to take around three months to complete

A 22-year-old teacher who became the youngest woman to row solo across the Atlantic has told ITV News of her excitement as she sets off on her next challenge to swim the length of the United Kingdom.

Jasmine Harrison, from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, completed her 70-day 3,000-mile solo trans-Atlantic journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua last February.

She is now taking the west coast route around the UK, a journey of 900-miles from Lands End to John O'Groats.

The 22-year-old teacher is set to spend around 12 hours a day in the water - which will mean the swim will take about three months to complete.

It has previously only been completed by two other people, both men.

Less than a day into her journey, Ms Harrison has swum around eight miles, and is just off the coast of St Just, in the Penwith district of Cornwall, and the nearest town to Land's End.

Before setting off, she told ITV News Correspondent Rupert Evelyn that she was itching to get into the water.

"We don't have much choice with the tide at the moment. So it is now or never," she said.

"I am excited."

Ms Harrison also described the differences between being on top of the water as opposed to in it.

"It is fatigue. It is the chaffing from wet suits on my neck.

"It is the salt water destroying my skin and even jellyfish stings are just going to be fairly rough, but we don't think about it yet."

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