Rough seas have delayed an attempt by six women to swim across the English Channel to raise money for a maternity hospital in Afghanistan.
A group of six women have completed a swim across the English Channel to raise money towards building a maternity hospital in Afghanistan.
The women, ranging in age from 26 to 65, aim to swim in turns to cover 21 miles from Dover to Cap Gris Nez.
The swimmers, aged 26 to 64, started at Dover on Sunday night and arrived near Calais just after 2100 BST on Monday.
They hope their efforts will raise £50,000 towards a 10-bed hospital for Afghan Mother and Child Rescue (AMCR).
The women, all from the Serpentine Swim Club at London's Hyde Park, hope the sponsored swim will raise £50,000.
But their initial attempt was abandoned just after the start due to rough seas - so the women plan to try again later.
They had originally set out on Saturday night but were forced to abandon their efforts due to rough seas.
One of the group, Anne Macalpine-Leny, said of their first attempt: "The sea was just too rough for us."
Clare Doyle, 64, Martha Fray, 56, Lorraine Jones, 56, Anne Macalpine-Leny, 51, Maree Mitchell, 31, and Alice Constance, 26, took turns to cover 21 miles across the Channel.
"We had not gone far when we were met by boats coming in from out at sea who told us it was just too bad out there," she said.
'One more brick'
"It's annoying as last night was meant to be the perfect conditions."
Mrs Macalpine-Leny said: "We're absolutely amazed and exhilarated. We did it in 23 hours and 16 minutes. It's beyond our wildest dreams."
She confirmed that the women would make a second attempt at their Channel crossing on Sunday night.
The money they raise will go to the UK-based charity Afghan Mother and Child Rescue.
It is envisaged that a hospital will be run by the charity in collaboration with Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health, and located in a remote area of the Panjsher .
The 10-bed hospital will be built in a remote area of Panjsher province in partnership with Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health.
The women, who expect to be in the water for up to 20 hours, have been training intensively since May and are coached by Freda Streeter, the mother of Alison Streeter, who has completed 43 solo Channel crossings to date.
Mrs Macalpine-Leny added: "This has not been an easy swim, we have battled through sickness, waves and bad weather over the last 24 hours to get here.
The six swimmers are Clare Doyle, 64, Martha Fray, 56, Lorraine Jones, 56, Ms Macalpine-Leny, 51, Maree Mitchell, 31, and Alice Constance, 26.
"It's been a challenge but with every stroke we were thinking 'it's one more brick for the hospital'."
All are members of the Serpentine Swimming Club in London's Hyde Park.
Before their first swim, Ms Macalpine-Leny had said: "These areas are very remote - it is very difficult for the women to get any good maternity care at all and we think our struggle is nothing compared to what these women go through."
