Disney’s latest film celebrating the first woman to swim the English Channel has been released on the silver screen.

Young Woman and the Sea, which depicts Gertrude Ederle’s landmark swim from France to Kent, has been unveiled to UK audiences this week.

The 2h 9m biography tells the true story of America's Gertrude Ederle.

Born in New York City in 1905, Ederle achieved the feat at just 20-years-old during her voyage on August 6, 1926.

Setting off from Cape Gris-Nez in France shortly after 7am, she reached UK shores in Kingsdown, Deal 14 hours and 34 minutes later.

The film, initially planned to debut exclusively on Disney+, was later changed to a limited theatrical release to tie-in with the Paris 2024 Olympics.

It features a number of famous film stars including Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley, who plays Ederle.

Other names include Stephen Graham and Kim Bodnia - who plays villain Konstantin Vasiliev in the BBC drama Killing Eve - and former Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston.

It is being shown in multiple cinemas across the county, including the ODEON in Tunbridge Wells, Showcase Cinema de Lux at Bluewater, Curzon Canterbury Westgate, Cineworld Dover and Silver Screen Cinema in Folkestone.

Information released on Disney's website says: "Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905.

"Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement – a 21-mile trek from France to England."

Ederle was Olympic champion having won a gold medal for the USA in the 4x100m freestyle relay in Paris in 1924.

It was achieved one year prior to her successful Channel crossing and exactly 100 years before this year's summer Olympics in the French capital.

She also received bronze medals for finishing third in the women's 100m freestyle and women's 400m freestyle races during the same Games.

Ederle died aged 98 in New Jersey in November 2003.