A KENDAL Swim Champion and Channel swimmer took part in the Great North Swim 5k challenge this week.

Sarah Harper took to the water over the weekend and is using the challenge as a step towards completing a 14K swim in August this year.

As well as her outstanding accomplishment, her fellow club members also achieved great success in their respective competitions.

With perfect conditions on Sunday, Sarah completed the stretch in a very impressive time of one hour, 23 minutes and 54 seconds.

She was praised by her club and by her peers for her effort.

The swim is part of her training for her 14k swim.

Kendal Swimming Club members have also given the competition a go by swimming in the GLL Centre.

This week the club laid on events for 50m Butterfly, 100m Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke. Both Rosemary Swallow and Elliot Woodburn came out with leading times in all three events.

Woodburn in particular was outstanding, although James Escolme pushed him hard in every event and was particularly close in the 50 Butterfly.

Other fine performances from the girls were the Bascombe sisters Megan and Lucy, Annie and Ellie Bottomley, ‘powerhouse’ Isabelle Wall-Budden and Kayleigh Craggs.

The boys also gave brilliant displays with great efforts from the Klijn brothers, Reece Kinley, Evan Dart and up and coming Jake Smith.