AN electrician has raised more than £5,000 for charity by completing an English Channel in harrowing circumstances.

Graham Walton was waiting on land to begin his challenge when he heard the swimmer ahead of him, a 45-year-old from Shropshire, had died less than a mile from France while making the attempt.

Mr Walton, a 43-year-old from Consett, nevertheless went ahead with the swim and completed the 21-mle challenge for the blood cancer charity Bright Red in less than 12 hours.

He said: “I didn’t have the best preparation hearing the news that a poor soul had died attempting the swim, I was next in line to go across”.

After an hour of flat conditions, the sea became more choppy for the rest of the challenge, ending with a two-hour sprint to make land before the tide turned.

He said: "It hurt all day and still does now, but I'd wager that every person helped by Bright Red would swap places with me in an instant and that's why it's worth it”.

Bright Red’s charity manager Ashley Elliott said “What Graham has done is nothing short of amazing.

“Graham faced a lot of challenges and put his body through a great deal - but he’s completed the swim in a fantastic time and raised a fortune for our charity.

“He has raised over £5.500 which means we’ll be able to directly help 22 more patients struggling financially. We can never thank him and his team enough."

The money is going to the Lee Robson Patient Care Grants scheme, named in honour of the 35-year-old Consett YMCA outdoor centre manager, who died from the disease in 2013.

His father, Billy Robson, the charity’s chief executive, said: “We want to thank people for their support and helping to keep Lee’s memory alive.”

You can sponsor Mr Walton via justgiving.com/fundraising/Graham-Walton1