A CLITHEROE grandmother has raised £6,500 for The Solomon Project and Open Arms International after plunging into the icy depths of Lake Windermere.

Rosemary Lancaster, 68, competed in the Great North Swim on Lake Windermere, along with 10,000 other swimmers at the three-day event on behalf of The Grand Venue, Clitheroe.

Rosemary, who finished 39th in her age category, swam a mile to help feed and house poor children in Africa.

She said: “It was an amazing experience. I loved every minute and the atmosphere was amazing.

“I only learned to swim when I was 40, so this was a big challenge.

“I’d done about a month’s training, so I was a bit unprepared.

“The water was so cold, and I was surprised how strong the currents and waves were. I got to the last 200 metres and had started to get cramp, but my husband John, my sister and friends were in the boat shouting encouragement.”