A FORMER Miss Rossendale beauty queen will swim the English Channel this month in a bid to raise vital funds for a children’s charity.

Heather Mather will be swapping her landlocked Lancashire for the 23-mile choppy Channel with her collegues from the express delivery firm TNT in Ramsbottom.

So far the team has raised an amazing £13,000.

As the company’s security analyst manager, Heather is part of the ‘TNT Shore-to-shore We Can Challenge’ where six men and one woman attempt to get across the Channel in under 20-hours.

She said: “If by swimming the Channel I can generate money to help make a difference in the lives of disabled and disadvantaged kids it will all have been worthwhile.

“I’m getting up at silly o’clock in the morning to go training and also swim in the evenings and at weekends.

“I’ve given up alcohol and I am eating a healthy diet and I’ve managed to shed 14lbs at the same time as raising £4,000 (and rising) for the Wooden Spoon charity.”

Heather, of Market Stre-et, Shawforth, and her team are hoping to hit the £30,000 mark to help tens of thousands of children who are disadvantaged men-tally, physically or socially.

The Rossendale resident has also been taking regular trips to Liverpool Bay and the Lincolnshire coast to experience saltwater swimming in the Irish Sea and North Sea, as well as training in inland lakes.

She said: ”I’d never been sea swimming before and I can’t believe how exhil-arating it is.

“I’m really looking for-ward to taking on the Channel and want to do all I can to help us reach our fundraising target.”

To support Heather visit www.justgiving.com/shoretoshore.

The challenge will take place between August 22 and 24.