HUNDREDS of swimmers went to great lengths to raise money for charity over the weekend.

Teams of six, including a team from the County Gazette, the Gazette Guppies, ploughed through as many laps (2x25m) of Taunton School's pool as they could at the 26th Soroptimist Swimathon.

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One of the organisers Terry Beale said more than £15,813 had been pledged and the winning team was from Taunton Deane Swimming Club, who splashed their way to 110 laps, beating the previous record of 103.

Money raised will go to St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice, the Albemarle Centre, the North Taunton Partnership (Priorswood Community Centre) and the Josh Evans Trust Fund.

The Swimathon has raised £540,000 for good causes over the past 25 years.

SWIMATHON IN NUMBERS:

  • £15,813.65 pledged
  • 4,396 laps completed
  • 76 teams of six people entered
  • 219.8km swam in total
  • Winners: 110 laps Taunton Deane Swimming Club, averaging 29 seconds per lap