Paul Clark set out at 1100 BST on Saturday with fellow crew member Graham Joyce to swim the eight-mile distance between Alderney and Goury.

After six hours and 20 minutes and with only 500 metres to go, it became clear the swimmers were going to be swept past Goury towards Cherbourg.

But while the intense cold forced Mr Joyce to drop out, he let his stronger partner go it alone and finish the course.

Mr Clark eventually landed on French soil after eight hours in the water.

Bubble dome

The men raised �6,000 which will be divided between the Alderney lifeboat and St Anne's School.

The school is hoping to raise enough money to build a bubble dome over their swimming pool.

The only person who had previously attempted the swim was former Alderney States president Jon Kay-Mouat.

He was pulled several miles north towards Cherbourg and eventually landed at Omonville, five hours and 20 minutes later.