Fleetwood man who swam from UK to Isle of Man outlines brutal final leg of trip

• Granada Reports correspondent Paul Crone caught up with Adam Diver back at home after completing his swim

A former army captain who became the first person to swim from the UK to the Isle of Man says the final stretch felt like "swimming through treacle".

Adam Diver, 48, has raised more than £15,000 for mental health support charity Healthier Heroes.

He left St Bees in Cumbria on Monday 29 May, almost a year since his first attempt, which he was forced to abandon due to poor weather.

He swam 46 miles of the Irish Sea to the island to bring awareness to mental health and raise funds for charity, with all proceeds donated to Healthier Heroes CIC.

The actual distance is only 32 miles, but Adam ended up swimming further because of tides and currents.

• Isle of Man correspondent Joshua Stokes caught up with Adam as he finished his swim

Adam said: "You could hear the TT motorbikes going round. At that point, I was struggling. It was like swimming through treacle.

"At that point, the Isle of Man wasn't getting any closer. It's a strange feeling swimming in open water. You blank your mind.

"You're not stressed. You're in your own little world."

Adam says he was also stung in the face by a jellyfish - which made things harder for him.

Adam said: "At that point I thought this is why this hasn't been done before. It's so challenging with the currents and the tides."

Adam, who is from Fleetwood, is a trustee for the Burnley-based charity which primarily helps homeless veterans get off the streets and rebuild their lives.

He now hopes a competitive swimmer is able to beat his record in a faster time.

The GoFundMe page can be found here.

In this latest episode of From the North we ask how can we help our mental health during the most difficult times in life?