A BRADFORD swimmer's attempt at a world record triple crossing of the English Channel was scuppered by strong tides.

Dee Llewellyn, who is a member of the City of Bradford Swimming Club, was one of a team of six women attempting, in shifts, to swim three times across the body of water at the weekend in about 30 hours.

The group were ahead of world record pace after completing the first crossing in nine hours and 11 minutes.

However, on the second leg, strong tides pulled them five miles up the French coast and into the path of cross-channel ferries - forcing the challenge to be abandoned.

Dee said: "We have mixed feelings. We are happy about the one-way time, but a bit gutted we could not do the three-way.

"We had a really well-prepared team, it's just a pity we didn't have the conditions with us.

"The time we did was fantastic. The world record pace for a three-way crossing is nine hours and 26 minutes. We are a bit gutted."

On the failed second leg, Dee said: "We did three hours in the water coming back but made no progress. We were still in French waters - we maybe made a mile out. But it took us five miles up the coast. It took us up near the ferries, so it made it dangerous."

The women will make another attempt at the three-way world record in June 2017. The team smashed the two-way world record in 2013, completing the swim in 18 hours and 13 minutes.

In taking on the challenge, the women were also raising money for the British Heart Foundation and UNICEF. To sponsor the team, visit www.justgiving.com/channelladiesrecordattempt/.