TWO doctors from Comet country and their daughters will take the plunge next week in an attempt to swim the Channel as a relay team for charity.

TWO doctors from Comet country and their daughters will take the plunge next week in an attempt to swim the Channel as a relay team for charity.

Dr Sue Graham, 44, who practises at the Birchwood Surgery in Letchworth GC will be accompanied by her daughter Charlotte, 17, and Dr Helen Parkinson, 50, who practises at the Astonia House Surgery, Baldock, will be joined by her daughter Katie Fulcher, 22.

The intrepid group has been in training for 18 months swimming in local pools before graduating to lakes and now frequent visits to Dover harbour to swim across the harbour dodging cross channel ferries and jelly fish.

The women are hoping to raise �5,000 for the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre at Mount Vernon Hospital which offers much needed support and information for people with cancer and was helpful to Dr Parkinson, when she was receiving treatment for breast cancer.

“Our training in the sea at Dover has been particularly unpleasant as the water has been freezing and jelly fish-ridden,” said Dr Graham.

“We have all suffered stings but are getting used to being very cold and stung and we are now almost enjoying it. We have been swimming the 3km between the harbour walls with the cross channel ferries coming and going.”

The actual day of the swim, under The Channel Swimming Association rules in which competitors are not allowed to wear wet suits, will not be revealed until Dr Graham gets a call from the skipper of the boat they have personally chartered.

“After all the training we are now looking forward to swimming three hours each and then only being allowed 10 minutes on the beach in France before heading back to Dover in our boat for a champagne celebration,” added Dr Graham.