60-year-old swimmer breaks record

Linda Ashmore spent 18 months training for her channel swim

A 60-year-old Dorset woman has become the oldest woman in the world to swim across the English Channel after completing the feat in about 15 hours.

Linda Ashmore swam into the record books after taking 15 hours and 11 minutes to get from Dover to Calais.

The Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation (CSPF) confirmed she is a few days older than previous record holder, Australian Sue Oldham.

Mrs Ashmore, from Weymouth, said: "It's just fantastic, I dreamt of this day."

Rigorous training regime

Previous record holder Ms Oldham, also aged 60, completed her swim last year in 16 hours and three minutes.

The mother-of-three's record swim on Saturday, 28 August was officially confirmed by the CSPF on Tuesday.

Mrs Ashmore, who retired from her job teaching mathematics at Wey Valley School in Dorset in July, underwent an 18-month rigorous training regime which included cycling and exercising at her gym.

The oldest man to have broken the record is thought to be George Burnstad, 70, who did it in 15 hours, 59 minutes in 2004.

Little Britain star David Walliams, who took on the challenge to raise money for Sport Relief, swam the channel in 10 hours, 29 minutes last August.