A 10-YEAR-OLD boy who completed a 22 mile swim - the equivalent of the English Channel - for charity has raised £800.

Gregory Birchenough, of Huntington Drive, Darwen, began the swim on September 17 to help raise in excess of £500,000 for ASPIRE, one of the UK's leading spinal injury charities.

The Holy Trinity Primary School, Darwen, pupil has completed the swim within the 12 week deadline and chose the charity after his mum saw one of its leaflets.

He swam the distance in the Daisy Field Swimming Pool and the Shadsworth Leisure Centre.

Gregory trained three times a week in the run-up to the event.

Gregory's mum, Claire, said: "We are all so proud of him."

Rosie Cotton, ASPIRE's diet and fitness expert, said: "The Aspire Channel Swim is the biggest fundraising event in the charity's calendar as it raises a substantial amount of urgently needed funding."