NEARLY £10,000 has been raised by dedicated students who took part in a three mile swim.

In September, 10 students and two staff members from Taunton School took part in the challenge to swim across the Solent.

Year 8 students Amber Wilson, Darcie Coleman, Emily Halliday, Macey Barrett, Josh Green, Ollie Heard, Year 9 Hetty James, Year 10 Maisie Raven and Year 11 Flo Salter-Green all took on the tough challenge alongside staff Sarah Nicholls and Ruth Coomber.

A total of £9,802 was raised for Aspire, a spinal charity.

Hamish McCarthy, swim coach and pastoral head of Year 7&8 said: “Aspire is a great charity and it is one that is close to my heart because they helped me overcome my spinal injuries.

"What a way to raise money, swimming the Solent. From the fastest to the slowest, everybody rose to what is a considerable challenge, they all conquered the Solent.”

Andrew Ogierman, from Aspire, said: “It is remarkable what they achieved and how much money they have raised. They will never meet the people they help. They achieved things they probably thought they never would in swimming 3 miles across to the island and the money they have raised will enable people to live independent lives that perhaps they didn’t think they would when they were first injured."