Somerset woman to tackle world-first swimming challenge

A woman from Somerset who became the first person in the world to swim from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly is getting ready for her next feat of endurance.

Beth French from Milverton had to use a wheelchair after being diagnosed with the energy-draining illness ME, when she was a teenager. >She's is now planning to compete seven big ocean swims in one year - swimming the equivalent distance of climbing seven mountain summits.

Beth says she's eager and willing to take on the challenge, after all, it's just adding another string to her bow.

Beth will swim across the Channel, between Spain and Morocco and across the straits separating New Zealand's North and South Islands.>The 'Oceans 7' swim involving a series of channels, has only been completed by six people in their lifetimes. The first leg will be from Ireland to Scotland this September.

She is hoping to break records by being the first and only person to do this in the space of a year.