A 24-hour swimathon raised thousands for a charity that supports people with learning disabilities.

Beech Hall School's annual Swimfest brought together more than 100 swimmers over the weekend, raising £3,000 for Mencap.

The event also helped young athletes as they prepare to take on the English Channel.

One of the organisers, who also gives their time to Sue Ryder in Macclesfield, said: "I loved every minute of helping at Swimfest.

"I was fortunate to help organise the event and run several of the stalls throughout the weekend.

"The fantastic weather made it even more enjoyable, but it was the incredible community spirit that really stood out."

People of all ages got involved (Credit: Supplied)

Swimfest started at 6pm on Friday, June 26, and ran continuously for 24 hours.

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It welcomed participants of all ages, including children as young as three.

In total, swimmers covered 228 kilometres.

Meanwhile, visitors enjoyed food stalls, a raffle, sweet treats and music throughout the event.

A grandfather of one of the swimmers also joined in by bringing a keyboard and speaker system, adding to the family atmosphere.

Swimfest also highlighted the achievements of Beech Hall School's Channel swimmers, with three teams currently preparing to attempt the crossing.

Among them is the school's senior relay team, already award-winning Channel relay swimmers, who are preparing for a two-way crossing of the English Channel, swimming to France and back.

If successful, they will become the first children ever to complete the feat, setting a new world record.

The event highlighted the achievements of Beech Hall School's Channel swimmers, who are raising money for Mencap (Credit: Supplied)

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