Seasick man runs out of money in attempt to swim from Land’s End to John O’Groats

Endurance athlete Sean Conway has issued an urgent appeal for donations, with just 150 miles of his 1,000-mile challenge to go

Sean Conway, who is trying to swim 1,000 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats

(SEAN CONWAY/SPONSUME)

A man who suffers from seasickness is close to completing a 1,000-mile swim from Land’s End to John O’Groats – a feat which has never before been attempted.

Sean Conway, 32, has just 150 miles left to go in his endurance effort, but has had to issue an urgent appeal for extra donations after delays mean he has run out of money to fund a support team.

To cover the distance in the budgeted time, Mr Conway would have had to swim the equivalent of an English channel crossing every day.

“Delays have been caused by bad weather, unpredictable tides and unforeseen logistical issues,” he wrote in an appeal on www.sponsume.com, a project sponsorship website.

Mr Conway is a seasoned endurance athlete, having already competed in a round-the-world cycling challenge, and said he was shocked to find that no one had attempted to swim the length of Britain before.

“Being the first at something is fraught with these issues as I've had no-one to ask for help and have been very much working it out as I go along.

“Most people laughed me off at the early stages saying I was going to die and it wouldn't be possible.”

Now he is a month over the scheduled time for the swim – and Scotland is only getting colder.

The self-confessed seasickness-sufferer – whose equipment sponsors include P&O Ferries – has asked for the help of “the Great British and Irish public… once again”.

He is offering a selection of items and services in exchange for sponsorship – including his used swimming goggles and caps, copies of the book he will be publishing about the experience, and the chance to have Mr Conway himself appear to give talks at functions.

“I need help financially to get me a new skipper, feed the crew, buy fuel for the boat and get myself to John O'Groats,” he said.

To follow Mr Conway’s progress visit www.swimmingbritain.co.uk