FOUR Darwen open swimmers joined the Mad Cow challenge, swimming 4k in four countries in just 24 hours.

Swimming coach Matt Donnelly, Fran Lou, Kev Massey and Barbara Hoyle joined the team of 17 for the challenge, who each share a love of open water swimming. The challenge was organised by Graeme Sutton of Cumbria who set up the Cumbria Open Water Swimmers (COWS) facebook page three years ago.

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Last year he came up with the idea of the challenge swim – travelling between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Matt, who lives in Gillibrand Street, Darwen, said: “The three from Darwen jumped at the chance. Others said ‘you must be mad’.”

The Mad COWS Challenge took place on Saturday started at one minute passed midnight at Lough Neagh, Antrim in Northern Ireland. Matt said: “The first swim was in the dark so we really had to be a really tight knit team for safety reasons. It was quite disorientating.”

The swimming enthusiast is the Coach for Darwen Masters, Swim Fir sessions at Darwen, Shadsworth and Blackburn Leisure Centre.

After completing the 4km (2.5miles) the group jumped into the mini bus and headed to the ferry. Then it was onto Loch Ken, near Dumfriesshire in Scotland, Ullswater in The English Lake District and finally Bala in North Wales as the sun was going down.

The last swimmer climbed out at 10.20pm to cheers and champagne, the challenge had been completed with time to spare.

Matt said: “It went very well. It was a challenge but we’ve put in the training. I have been out in open water 25 times already this year. The comradeship was superb and we had a lot of laughs along the way. The hardest part for me was the minibus ride because I have a bad back and I can’t sleep on the minibus.”

The group were supported by Blackburn company Aquascope who loaned wet suits to the group. A butcher also provided bacon sandwiches for the group, and the team were given a complimentary meal at Tebay services.

The group chose the Great North Air Ambulance, a charity serving Cumbria, the North-East and North Yorkshire, to support. Around £1,400 has been raised for the charity. To donate visit www.madcowsswim.co.uk