A TEAM of 35 swimmers has braved the Solent to raise more than £14,000 to support Hampshire and Isle of Wight residents living with cancer at Wessex Cancer Trust’s Swim for Hope event.

They set off from Hurst Point in Hampshire and swam 1.3 miles across the Solent to Colwell Bay on the Isle of Wight as part of the charity’s 40th birthday celebrations.

All of the swimmers, many of whom were taking part in their first sea-swimming event, completed the challenge.

The event was organised by Mike Sizer-Green, the manager of Wessex Cancer Trust’s Newport-based Isle of Wight Cancer Wellbeing Centre, and Michelle Salsbury who volunteers and fundraises at the Centre. Both took part.

Mike was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2013 and used Wessex Cancer Trust’s Daisy Bus to get to his appointments at Southampton General Hospital.

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He is immensely proud of all the swimmers as he told the Daily Echo: “Swimming the Solent is a huge challenge and I’ve been overwhelmed by the dedication and determination of every swimmer who put in hours and hours of training to ensure they would get across.

"It’s even more poignant because many of our swimmers have their own experience of cancer and know that stretch of water represents a major hurdle if you have to cross it for treatment on the mainland.

“Organising an event like this was a huge undertaking, and we’re particularly grateful to everyone who helped get our swimmers across safely."

Support kayaker Jo Hanks added: “I was a colorectal cancer nurse specialist for 15 years and saw first-hand how invaluable the Daisy Bus was for patients travelling from the Island to Southampton for treatment. I’m thrilled the event has raised so much money."