Youngest ever group from Northern Ireland break record for North Channel swim

A group of teenage swimmers have become the youngest ever group to cross the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The Red Hot Chilli Dippers, who're all aged between 14 and 16 years of age, completed the choppy crossing in just under 12 hours with some finishing in Portpatrick and others just south of Killantringan Lighthouse.

The teenagers, who are from Newry, Moira, Lurgan and Armagh, started the swim in Bangor, Co Down, just before 5.45am last Thursday (6 September).

Two boats escorted the group, with six swimmers guided by each, with the final person reaching dry land at around 6pm.

It was a day that the teenagers will never forget, including Ellen Boyle.

"The feeling of all that training, like a year's worth of training down to that exact moment of touching in Portpatrick - it was just amazing," she said.

"It was just like, I can't believe I've actually done this."

The route is regarded as one of the toughest open water swimming routes in Europe with swimmers often battling choppy waves as well as jellyfish.

UTV exclusively joined the group as they prepared to embark on the swim, as they got used to the open water around the shores of Donaghadee.

The plan was to complete the swim at the end of September, but the recent spell of warm weather and with sea conditions looking good, the attempt was brought forward.

That was good news for some.

"To be honest, it was brilliant because it meant I got to get off school and then I could play my football match on Saturday as well," said 16-year-old Daniel Smyth.

"I felt ready and i think the whole team felt ready as well," he added.

Steven Grimley is an experienced swimming coach who along with a team from Infinity Swim Academy in Camlough accompanied the group on their attempt.

"It's been one of the highlights of my coaching career," he told UTV.

"For ones so young to achieve something so monumental it's just been fantastic to watch, watching them grow. And they've all had different journeys."

"I was quite emotional watching it, to be honest with you," he added.

Some of the young swimmers said that they hope that this swim is the beginning of new challenges with some even eyeing-up solo swims at a later stage.

As their coach said: "The future's bright."

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