EMPLOYEES of fruit juice manufacturing company MD Foods are taking the plunge for charity - in memory of their former factory manager Bill Naylor.

The six - Christine Aspin, Paul Howarth, June Smith, Wendy Shorrock, Debbie Sharples and Len Dewhurst - will be among thousands of people nationwide taking part in the Sharron Davies Mile Swim Challenge, which hopes to raise £250,000 for the Cancer Research Campaign.

Their effort is is in memory of boss Bill, who died of cancer 12 months ago.

Each competitor from the Blackburn company will swim a mile - 65 lengths - which they will complete during their lunch breaks at Belper Street Baths, Blackburn.

Health and safety and training administrator Debbie said: "Our factory manager died of cancer and it is something which is close to our hearts and one of the reasons we decided to do this challenge to raise money to fund research into this disease."

She added: "We are very keen to get involved and link in with national initiatives such as the Mile Swim Challenge - we hope it gets us fit as well!"

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.