Computer error leads to 'extremely scary' swim

A man is taking on an "extremely scary" swim after his wife accidentally selected the longest distance for a charity challenge.

Mike Thorpe, from the village of Fyfield in Wiltshire, will be one of 50 swimmers swimming six miles (9.65km) as part of the Swim Serpentine at Hyde Park in London on Saturday.

"My wife hit the wrong button on the computer," he admitted. "She meant to hit the one-mile option for six people, but ended up booking the six-mile option for one person."

Despite the error, Thorpe, aged 57, "put his hand up" and has spent the past four months training for the challenge.

First held in 2016 as a legacy event from the 2012 Olympics - the Serpentine hosted both the triathlon and open water swimming events during the Games - the event sees people either swim half a mile, one mile, two miles or six miles.

There will be 6,000 people taking part, but only 50 doing the six-mile option.

For his training, Thorpe has been swimming five days a week at the Marlborough Leisure Centre, and also swum in open water at Cotswold Water Park.

Thorpe, who will be raising money for the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust which supports older and vulnerable people, said he was excited for the event, despite the fact it will be "extremely scary".

"Anything we raise makes a big difference [to the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust]," he said. "What they do for the vulnerable and elderly in Wiltshire is quite extraordinary."

Money raised will go towards the charity's work to protect older people from scams and cyber fraud.

Thorpe added: "The discomfort I'll experience swimming six miles is nothing compared to the challenges many vulnerable people face, which is why I'm determined to do everything I can to raise as much money as possible."

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