Olympian Katy Sexton calls people in Portsmouth to join city's '˜swimathon'

World gold medallist Katy Sexton, of Drayton, is backing the city’s swimathon in aid of national charity, Brain Tumour Research.

The event kicks off on Saturday and runs until Sunday, October 30.

Swimmers are being urged to head to their local pools – or even the sea – to join the action.

Fundraisers need to set a target of the number of lengths they will do and create a fundraising page.

Cash raised from the nine-day effort will fund the ground-breaking research taking place at the University of Portsmouth’s flagship Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, where Professor Geoff Pilkington leads the UK’s largest team of laboratory-based scientists working towards a better understanding and, ultimately, a cure for brain tumours.

Katy, who launched the swimathon at Mountbatten Leisure Centre, said: ‘I am proud to support this second swimathon for Brain Tumour Research.

‘Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

‘My sister, Kelly, was only 29 when she had her operation, so it is clear that much more needs to be done to find a cure.

‘I hope that this swimathon raises lots of much-needed funds to support ground-breaking research taking place here at the University of Portsmouth.’

For more information about the event or to register, visit www.braintumourresearch.org/swimmingchallenge.