Bridgnorth pupils raise prom money with swim down memory lane

But the 60-person effort by Bridgnorth Endowed pupils was also a flashback to 1979, and a swim by six swimmers who tackled the English Channel.

In the end pupils beat the total from 40 years ago, swimming just over 31 miles or 2005 lengths of the pool.

The team was made up of students from across all year groups at the school.

On the day they were also joined by Alex Ferrier and Bobby Sherwood, who took part in the challenge in 1979.

Gareth Hughes, the maths teacher who came up with the idea, said: “I was extremely proud of all the swimmers, particularly the Year 7s, and the event is testament to the strong team ethos that runs throughout the school.

“The challenge was inclusive of all abilities and I’d like to give a special mention to Megan Musgrave who was able to participate and be part of the team effort with her Dad’s help.

“We all had a lot of fun, with the pupils trying different strokes, the Northgate swimmers keeping the counters busy by doing their lengths so quickly, and me getting in to race one of our Year 11s. It was a great day all round.”

Barry Worth, the school’s headteacher, said: “Friday’s commemorative Channel swim fundraiser was a huge success, thanks to everyone who was involved in the event.

“The students who took part in the challenge, not only completed the 21 miles, but exceeded the distance, and we were extremely honoured to welcome two of the swimmers from the 1979 team.”

“The day was a triumph on many levels, as the whole school came together to raise money and celebrate a standout achievement in Bridgnorth Endowed’s history.”

Mr Ferrier and Mr Sherwood shared their memories of the original swim during the event.

Their crossing, which took 13 hours and 34 minutes, saw them face freezing cold water, swarms of jellyfish, and the enormous swell caused by passing ferries.

To donate visit bridgnorthendowed.co.uk and look for the PayPal link.