SWIMMERS in West Devon made a massive splash for charity, as they completed the Swimathon 2010 challenge at Meadowlands Leisure Pool to help raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care and The Swimathon Foundation. 

Meadowlands in Tavistock was one of more than 500 pools nationwide that took part in the Swimathon 2010, which sees swimmers challenging themselves to complete up to five kilometres as an individual or team with their friends and family.

Swimming teacher at Meadowlands Debbie Scott took part in the swimathon with her daughter Molly.

She said: 'What a day. All the staff and supporters at Meadowlands really got us fired up for the 5K swim. Goodness knows what we'd have done without them!'

Tara Hutt, regional swimming and programme manager for Leisure Connection said: 'The Marie Curie Swimathon was such an important event for the local community and it was touching to see how many swimmers arrived, if not to swim, to show their support for such a worthy cause.

'Meadowlands managed to raise more than £1,000!'

Marie Curie Cancer Care employs more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals and expects to provide care to around 29,000 terminally ill patients in the community and in its hospices this year. It is also the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS. For more information go to http://www.mariecurie.org.uk">www.mariecurie.org.uk