Women in Channel charity relay swim

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The women, who range in age from 26 to 65, are members of Serpentine Swim Cub in London's Hyde Park and hope to raise £50,000 for Afghan Mother and Child Rescue (AMCR) by taking part in the sponsored swim.

They plan to take turns swimming the Channel from Dover to Cap Gris Nez near Calais.

The women, who expect to be in the water for up to 20 hours, have been training intensively since May, with one mile swims up to four times a week in the Serpentine and a one-to-two hour swim in Dover Harbour once a week.

They have been coached by Freda Streeter, the mother of Alison Streeter, who has completed 43 solo Channel crossings to date.

The money they raise will go towards building a 10-bed hospital in a remote area of the Panjsher in collaboration with Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health.

Swimmer Anne Macalpine-Leny said: "We wanted to raise money for the charity as we know exactly where it's going. These areas are very remote - it is very difficult for the women to get any good maternity care at all and we think our struggle is nothing compared to what these women go through."

She said the women decided to raise money for AMCR as one of its directors, Roddy Jones, is also a member of the Serpentine Swimming Club and swims with them every day.

The charity has also built a number of bakeries where Afghan war widows can find employment.

The six women taking part in the swim are Clare Doyle, 64, Martha Fray, 56, Lorraine Jones, 56, Anne Macalpine-Leny, 51, Maree Mitchell, 31, and Alice Constance, 26.