WOULD-BE Channel swimmer Chris Astill-Smith is just weeks away from taking the plunge in a bid to raise £25,000 for a charity that makes children's wishes come true.

Mr Astill-Smith, 24, from Eastcott, near Devizes will swim from Dover to Calais next month for Dreams Come True and has upped his training.

He said: "The training this year has been intense. I knew it was going to be hard but it is a massive commitment. In May I qualified to swim the English Channel, this was completed in Croatia and consisted of a six hour swim in 15C water. It was really difficult but was a massive confidence boost for me.

"Now I've ramped up my training and I'm swimming 30-35km each week. I'm training about two hours a day at the pool during the week and four-six hour swims at weekends down in Dover.

"While the training is tough, what I find the most difficult is dealing with injuries and staying positive throughout the recovery time. With the sheer distance I've been covering, I've incurred injuries in both my shoulders and both elbows, whilst also dealing with ear infections. Listening to my body and knowing when to train and when to recover has been a massive learning lesson."

Mr Astill-Smith expects to take about 14 hours to swim between England and France and has bulked up to help keep himself warm. He is eating between 4,000 and 5,000 calories a day to keep his weight up despite his intense training programme.

The former Lavington School pupil and member of Devizes Swimming Club has thanked people who have supported his bid with sponsorship. So far he has raised £10,500 and a number of people and organisations have pledged to help him. Wiltshire construction company ED and W Bodman is paying for the coast of his support boat and coaching.

Lavington School will also be holding a mufti day. Mr Astill-Smith who runs a company called Nutristrength in Eastcott with his mother Alison and brother Adam Hutchin, will attempt the swim some time between August 14 and 20 depending on the weather.

To sponsor him go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ChannelSoloChris To watch video of his training go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BejFl13PCB4