Next time, Debbi hopes to swim the real thing...

Debbi Clarke, 14, from Sompting, is aiming to complete 1,408 lengths of a 25-metre pool by December '“ the equivalent of the 22-mile Channel.

Debbi, who attends Davison High School, Worthing, is raising money for spinal injury charity ASPIRE, and has already completed more than 500 lengths of an indoor pool towards her target.

She said: "I just did it over my training sessions. My mum did it and I decided I was going to do it as well. It has become a bit of a competition."

Dad Tim said he was proud of both Debbi and her mother, Tracey, and that their competitive streaks weren't causing any trouble at home.

He joked: "I just side with whoever is sitting nearer me at the time."

Debbi started having swimming lessons when she was two years old, and then moved on to training about five years ago. She is a member of the Penguins and Shiverers swimming clubs.

Debbi said: "I am doing this 'Channel' swim because I love swimming, I love raising money for charity and my ambition is to actually swim the English Channel '“ as in swim the actual sea, not just in a swimming pool '“ before I am 20."

She has set up a website to help with her fund-raising and donations can be made online.

For more details on Debbi's challenge, log on to www.justgiving.com/debbiraa