A Macclesfield schoolboy has swum across the Channel for the second time.

Beech Hall School pupil Alexander Sixsmith made the crossing on Monday, July 20, as the only child on a relay team with five adults.

In doing so, the 14-year-old helped to raise nearly £6,000 for Aspire, a charity that supports people with spinal cord injuries.

Alexander said: "It feels like a great achievement to swim the Channel for the second time.

"To anyone else thinking of taking on this challenge I would say, if you want to achieve something, work hard.

"It takes a lot of work and changes how you spend your time.

"If you want something, just focus on it and do the work.

"The most important thing is supporting Aspire and the work that they do. I think that if you can help someone then you should."

The Aspire Hyenas team set off from Dover, with Alexander swimming three legs along the way.

This includes the final 44-minute stint which brought the crew onto French soil near the commune of Ambleteuse.

The achievement is made all the more impressive as Alexander lives with Developmental Language Disorder, whilst also managing the symptoms of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a condition affecting his heart rate that has seen him in and out of hospital.

Alexander added: "My teammates were brilliant! They are all great fun and really helped me get through the swim.

"Our boat leader, Steph, is such a kind person and was really clear in what she needed me to do and was always helpful.

"POTS means my hydration must be carefully managed. I suffered with really bad cramp in my 2025 crossing, but I didn't get any this time.

"Steph and my teammates worked together to plan what was needed and it all worked really well.

"This was a more physically challenging crossing but I felt great."

In preparation for the swim, Alexander worked with coaches Dave and Karen Quartermain at Uswim.

He trained at Dock 9 at Salford Quays and Boundary Water Park near Allostock, as well as in pools in Macclesfield and Poynton.

His mother, Suzanne Sixsmith, added: "A huge thank you to Uswim and to Karen and Dave Quartermain in particular, for providing such a safe and positive training environment and for the excellent work they've done getting Alexander ready for his second crossing.

"Thank you also to Aspire. The wider Aspire community is a vibrant one like no other and we're incredibly grateful to them.

"Massive congratulations to Alexander and his whole team for a phenomenal crossing. I am so proud of them, and delighted that funds have been raised for Aspire to help support their incredible work.

"Alexander is the first Beech Hall student to complete a crossing in 2026, the school's 100th anniversary, so that is very special and he wishes the rest of his school swimmers the very best of luck with their crossings later in the year."