An eight-year-old girl is to go to great lengths for charity with plans to swim the equivalent distance of crossing the Channel.

Aimee Thatcher aims to cover 22 miles – more than 1,400 lengths of the Swallows pool in Sittingbourne – in aid of Aspire, which supports people with spinal injuries.

She is not, however, doing it all in one go as the challenge has to be finished within 12 weeks.

Her mum Lisa, of Westerham Road, Sittingbourne, said: “She swims for Sittingbourne and Milton Swimming Club and has been practising through the summer holidays for a swimming gala.

“The Swallows was advertising the Aspire swim and Aimee said she wanted to do it.

“I said ‘Do you realise it’s a long way and mummy and daddy wouldn’t be able to do that?’ She knows it’s going to be a really big commitment but she never gives up.

“She loves the water – we’ve always said she’s got gills.”

The challenge will involve completing 1,416 lengths of the 25m pool and Aimee, who goes to Minterne Junior School, started at the weekend.

She aims to raise £200 and was already nearing her target when the Sittingbourne News Extra went to press.

“We could not be more proud of her,” Lisa added.

“We researched Aspire and what it does and she really wants to help people with spinal injuries.

“Aimee is very sporty. She runs and dances – ballet, tap and jazz.

“She swims twice a week anyway and does 30 lengths at a time.

"The swimming club does a Sunday session so she will join that and we’ll go after school and in the mornings. We’re going to be spending a lot of time at the Swallows.”

Lisa, 39, a teaching assistant, and husband Barry, 38, who works at Kemsley paper mill, plan to update family and friends with Aimee’s progress on Facebook

To support Aimee, go to www.justgiving.com/aimeethatcher

• For more on Apsire, visit www.aspire.org.uk