A SEA swimmer is taking on an aquatic challenge by attempting to swim a 15 kilometre stretch between the Rampion Wind Farm off the coast and Brighton’s West Pier.

Jo Maynard, from Hove, who is in her fifties, is a nationally qualified swimmer.

Along with three other swimmers, she will take on the challenge for the World Animal Protection charity – and for the personal thrill and challenge.

Jo said: “Any time I look at open water I think, ‘can I swim that?’.”

She visited the wind farm a year ago and it gave her the idea for the challenge.

Paul Jackman, skipper of charter boat The Defiance, will be navigating the ambitious swim.

The Defiance will go on ahead of the swimmers and find a safe route, while a smaller “rib” boat will go alongside them to ensure their safety.

Jo said there were risks, adding: “Every breath you take you could hit a wave and choke.”

She qualified for national competition in October last year but less than a month later she could not walk because of a back problem.

She sees this swim as a personal challenge for her fitness and a test that she has fully recovered.

The swim will be shared between two pairs of swimmers in a relay-style and will be broken into hour-long intervals.

Those not swimming will rest on The Defiance.

Jo said the thought of tea and cake and cold fish finger sandwiches on the hour was the main things on her mind while she swims.

She said: “It’s a mental sport.

“You’re face down in the water and there is a lot of pain involved because the salt isn’t kind to your face. It starts to crack your lips and swell your tongue.

“After a while you start to feel pickled.”

Jo said when the swimmers get out of the water they shake, like a convulsion, from shock.

The “Rampers” swim, named after Rampion, is scheduled for August 31, to start at 10am, but the team will check the wind and swell and make sure it is not too hot on the day.

They will be covering themselves in factor 70 sun cream on the day to avoid sunburn.

The Rampers’ swimmers can reach speeds of up to 4km an hour.

Jo is the fourth fastest over-50 swimmer over 800m in the South East.

She taught herself how to swim at school and has always loved the water.

She has been competing in open water events for the last 15 years.