by Graham Tutthill

gtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

Marathon swimmer Trent Grimsey has set a new record for swimming the Channel.

He completed the crossing in six hours 55 minutes, shaving two minutes off the previous best set by Bulgarian Petar Stoychev in 2007.

Trent, 24, from Brisbane in Australia, said it was the culmination of a three-year ambition to be the fatest to swim the Channel.

"I have had a very good season," he said. "I am fit and in good form, and Mike Oram is just a sensational pilot."

Trent was feeding every 20 minutes during the swim, and then every 15 minutes for the last three hours.

"Conditions were pretty perfect," he said.