Devizes Mayor Pete Smith, always ready for a joke, donned a startling bright yellow swimming hat to launch the Lions Club’s 2011 Swimarathon.

Coun Smith put 24 teams on their marks to raise money for their good causes. All ages swam on Saturday, from the 1st Devizes Brownies and 3rd Devizes Cubs to 80 somethings backing Devizes Alzheimer’s Support.

A group of Devizes School students were raising money for Kenya 2012, in which about 19 of them will spend a month on community projects outside Nairobi. Each will need £3,500 to cover the cost of the trip. Their swim raised £1,500.

Others entrants included Toxic Moonies from Marlborough, for the NSPCC, Devizes Guides and Scouts, Devizes Dazzlers majorettes and the Raven Explorer Scouts.

Coun Smith said: “This is a great event. It gives people the chance to raise money for their own good causes and get a bit of exercise at the same time.”