Sisters home and dry after lake swim

INTREPID sisters Fiona Southall and Rebekhae Lindsay have completed their gruelling 1hr 11min swim across Lake Windermere.

The pair took on the greatest challenge of their lives by taking part in the Great North Swim, netting £540 for the Christie Hospital — with still more to come in.

They battled fears of giant toe-nibbling fish, deep dark water, panic attacks and drowning to emerge euphoric and triumphant after a mile-long swim.

Back at home in Scowcroft Lane, Shaw, Fiona (39) said: “We were both nervous about the swim and whether we would panic when we got into the water.

“The cold was breath-taking initially, so we sang some of ‘Simply the Best’ by Tina Turner, to regulate our breathing, and after about 10 minutes we acclimatised to it.

“My sister was very calm and pointed out that I had been for chemotherapy six times, every three weeks, so this was nothing in comparison.”

When Fiona pledged to take part in the fundraising feat, mother-of-two Rebekhae (36), of Worsley Place, Shaw, told her she must be mad.

But within hours, she had volunteered to swim alongside her sister, who wanted to say thank you to the Christie for the care she received after she was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago.

The pair were among 100 swimmers who took part.

Fiona said: “The views were lovely and there was just a little cloud, so the sun didn’t shine into our eyes, and people in kayaks were available along the route in case anyone got into trouble.

“Rebekhae is a stronger swimmer than me, in fact I think she could have happily done two miles, but she waited for me as I found it more difficult.

“The last stretch was hard-going, but as we finally made it to the ramp, we walked up on wobbly legs, but felt a great sense of achievement.

“We felt euphoric afterwards and celebrated with a bottle of wine and a meal at Ambleside Youth Hostel, where we stayed the night before and the night after the swim.”