Endurance swimmer Mickey Helps plunged into the cold water for Saturday’s Champion of Champions Open Water Championship at Dover Harbour.

The Stoneleigh resident finished 16th out of the 83 competitors in an overall time of four hours 35 minutes.

The event, consisting of three races over five miles, three miles and a mile, was preparation for the 21-mile Lake Windermere Two-Way swim later this year.

Helps qualified for the invitation-only event by finishing third in last year’s Zurich Masters.

His motivation for taking part is fundraising for the Help For Heroes charity.

“This is a great cause I hope people will be kind enough to support,” he said.

It was a busy weekend for Helps, who also took part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride. Find out more about Mickey’s challenge and donate at thehelps.co.uk