A GROUP of young swimmers surprised even themselves when they covered nearly 38,000 metres in under an hour.

Members of the White Horse swimming team, in Thirsk, covered more than the distance between Thirsk and Harrogate

They were taking part in a national competition to see how many lengths they could manage in 60 minutes.

The total distance completed by the team was 37,985 metres, but some swimmers managed extended distances.

Two 12-year-olds - Jessica Millar, Mark Chamberlain - together with Madeleine Wivell, who is 14, swam nearly four kilometres each.

The competition was part of a national Postal Swim in which individual swimmers compete at their home clubs in strictly controlled conditions. Results are collated nationally and all participants are given a national ranking.

Other swimmers who competed at Thirsk included James Palliser, Jodie Galtrey, Kayleigh Easton and Toby Cuniffe, who all covered over 3km each.