A property agent who had a life-changing back operation was told to take up swimming if he ever wanted to walk again.

Guy Bowring, of Sevenoaks, had a herniated spinal disc which ruptured in 2010 after he ran for a bus leaving him in unimaginable pain.

The 47-year-old said: "I always had a bad back and herniated discs but after a few tramadol and co-codamol and off you go to work and it is pretty much as normal.

"In April 2010, I had a herniated disc, had the drugs and thought these things normally sort themselves out but very stupidly I ran for a bus and the disc ruptured.

"All the stuff inside it seeped out into my spine and straight into my nerves. It was mind-boggling pain.

"I collapsed to the floor and over the course of that day I slowly lost any sensation in my right leg. I could not move it all so it was pretty scary.

"I went to hospital and they said there was not much they could do for me now and so I had a few trips back and forth in mind-boggling pain that I certainly had not had before."

A week later, Guy had an operation known as a microdiscectomy which involves removing the painful disc from the spine and gives nerves more space to run through.

The property agent added: "That pain disappeared almost immediately and over the course of the next couple of weeks I got the sensation and use back of my leg pretty much completely which was a relief.

"I then had a follow up appointment with my spinal surgeon who told me I have to keep my back strong and running was not going to do it so he said to take up swimming.

"He said I needed to stay strong and would be set for life but if I do not then next time something happens and I have a major incident like this he may not be able to help me.

"So if I wanted to stay walking around and taking care of my kids then I needed to stay fit and strong. It was fairly terrifying being told that."

If he was to start swimming he needed a goal, so Guy decided to train to swim the Channel solo which involved getting in the pool 12 hours a week. But he decided to rein it in as he had two young children.

He roped in his brother and a few friends and in 2013 the group swam in a relay. Since then he has competed in various swimming events and fell in love with the open water sport.

In two days, Guy, who lives in Station Road, Cowden, with his two children Annabelle, 15, and Fred, 12, and wife Caroline, will be swimming the Geneva70 challenge along with his colleagues.

"I have trained pretty hard and well for the past year or so, and so am feeling well prepared," he said. "I think we all feel the same.

"Although, some of the newbies to open water swimming are pretty anxious about the night swimming and the mental challenge of swimming in the dark knowing you have 300m of nothingness below you.

"Hopefully all will be fine though. It would be gutting if some of us did not make it after the hundreds of hours of training."

They will be taking on the 70-kilometer relay swim across Lake Geneva for charities Muscular Dystrophy UK, Macmillan, Charlie Waller Memorial Trust and St George's Hospital in Tooting.

To support the team and follow their journey, click here.

Krishan Solanki, head of events for Muscular Dystrophy UK said: "The Geneva70 Swim Charity Challenge is an incredible event that is sure to push our fundraisers physical and mental stamina to the limits. We are so grateful Guy has chosen us as his charity, and we are sure his contribution will make a huge difference to the 110,000 people living with a muscle-wasting condition in the UK."

Muscular Dystrophy UK is a charity which help people with all muscle-wasting conditions to improve quality of life, make the most of their independence and ensure every day counts.