HUNDREDS of open-water swimmers braved the 16°C depths of Coniston Water to take part in the country's largest length-of-lake swim.

Wetsuits were optional for Saturday's Coniston Chillswim, which saw 730 entrants swim the 5.25 miles from Low Water End to Monk Coniston in heavy rain.

The long-distance event, organised by Colin Hill, director of the Chillswim company, is now in its fourth year.

"Entries have grown year on year and what makes this event so appealing is the support given to the swimmers from before the event through to the after-event prize giving," said Colin, who recently returned from the Rio Olympics, where he worked at the open-water swimming event.

A huge team of crew and volunteers created a welcoming atmosphere at John Ruskin School, the event HQ, and swimmers were transported to the start by Mountain Goat buses.

On the water were 100 support craft and four feed boats giving out drinks, energy gels, Jelly Babies and bananas. Medics were on hand at each feed station, as well as the start, finish and emergency evacuation point.

Despite the weather, crowds of friends and supporters cheered the swimmers as they stepped onto dry land. Fourth-fastest man was Ulverston's Tom Robinson, aged 16, a national butterfly swimmer in the pool, who has been taking part in Coniston Chillswim since he was 14 (time 2 hrs 0 mins 43.8 secs).

Colin told the Gazette that an estimated 1,500 people stayed in the Coniston locality for the swim, and each entrant used a bright pink and orange Swim Secure tow float to increase their visibility, a product developed by Chillswim, based at Howtown, Ullswater.

Fastest man was Martin Anderson, 43, from Leeds, with a time of 1 hr 56 mins 54.6 secs. Fastest woman was Caitlin Poulson, aged 16, of Penrith's swim club, with a "blistering time" of 2 hrs 1 min 49.25 secs.

Chillswim's next event is the International Winter Swimming Northern Pontoon Big Chill Swim, on December 10 and 11 at Windermere. For more visit www.chillswim.com