A SOLDIER swam the English Channel for charity.

James Sandalls, 26, raised money for the Friends of Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment Benevolent Fund, along with five other soldiers, swimming the Dover Strait to Calais.

The Sussex-born soldier, who has served in Afghanistan, completed the crossing as part of a regiment relay team called The Tiger Sharks.

James, originally from Newhaven, said: “We were all infantry soldiers so the challenge appealed to us all.”

The money from the swim was split four ways between the regimental benevolent fund, Scope and two hospices.

James would also like to do a solo swim of the channel at some point to raise money for the Martlets Hospice, where his sister, also from Newhaven, passed away last year.

The swimmers exceeded their target of £10,000.