A mystery donor has helped a grandfather top the £60,000 mark after a 147-mile swimming challenge to raise funds for charity.

The Comet: Andy Nation celebrates with a bottle of champagne after reaching Dover during his swimming challenge.Andy Nation celebrates with a bottle of champagne after reaching Dover during his swimming challenge. (Image: Archant)

Andy Nation attempted the epic swim in the summer of 2013 – a year after he had intended to do it due to breaking his neck in training.

The effort saw him complete all but 11 miles of the challenge, which he started at Teddington Lock in Middlesex but had to abandon on his last leg from Dover to Calais due to the sea conditions.

More than a year and a half on, the 65-year-old from Knebworth is still raising funds for the Herts Air Ambulance and the Hertfordshire MS Therapy Centre in Letchworth, and has received an anonymous donation of £5,000.

The money was passed on with a message which said: “There are those that can, there are those that can’t, there are those that do, there are those that don’t, then there is Andy Nation. Wow, what else can one say?”

Andy is currently editing entries for his book, People of Our Time, which includes messages from the rich and famous and will be auctioned off to raise further funds.

He said: “I would like to say a very special thank you to my mystery donor. It would be great to get into six figures, so if you have a few pounds to spare or would like to make an enduring memorial to a loved one via the book please contact me via www.teddingtontocalais2012.org.uk.”