Halloween swim ends woman's year-long Paignton Pier challenge

A leisure manager has swum around Paignton Pier for the final time in a year-long challenge.

Allie Dart, from Brixham, was joined by dozens of supporters for the Halloween finale.

The 44-year-old set herself the challenge of swimming around the famous pier 365 times.

"I managed it every day bar five days when we had really bad weather - where I would have had to have been rescued," she said.

"One day the beach was closed due to two World War Two hand grenades getting washed up - luckily that was the day the surf was so bad.

"I always did extra if I saw there were strong easterly gales coming, we've probably only had 10 or 15 rougher swims."

Allie completed the final swim on Sunday in Halloween fancy dress.

Her route is 500 metres (0.31 miles) and to date she has clocked 181.8km (113 miles).

It was her 26 December swim that stood out the most.

"We had a seal pup follow us the whole way round, it was amazing," she explained.

Allie is raising money for the Cornish Seal Sanctuary and the Marine Conservation Society.

She has completed some of the challenge on her own but has often been joined by other swimmers.

"It feels so surreal to be finishing, it's flown by.

"It's a really good feeling, it feels like I've achieved something and I'm proud of everyone who's come along for the ride."

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