A DETERMINED charity swimmer battled rough sea waves to raise money in memory of his "much-loved" mother-in-law.

Terry Fay, of Dovercourt, wanted to fundraise in support of Basildon and District Heart Support Group, due to the treatment his mother-in-law Pam received at their hands.

He has taken on several charity swims in the past, but set himself the challenging target of slogging his way from Walton Beach to Dovercourt West Beach on Friday, September 9.

Though the waves were rough and the wind strong, Terry completed his swim well ahead of his expected finish time.

"It was a nice, warm and sunny afternoon, but there were 20mph winds – fortunately, they were behind me all the way," he said.

"Even though the sea was really rough, I ended up swimming it in one hour and 40 minutes, nearly an hour less than we expected.

"I arrived into Dovercourt West beach at 5.30pm, and luckily people had arrived early to cheer me on.

"We all enjoyed a nice evening with a barbecue and a party afterwards.

"The amount on my Justgiving page at the moment is £1,057, but there is more to add which will take the total over £1,100.

He added: "I am delighted with both the support I received and the amount people have donated to a fantastic cause.

"Carol's mum Pam was transferred to Basildon Hospital for two heart valve replacements, however due to the level of her illness, Pam also ended up having a double bypass.

"The quality of care she received was beyond anything Pam or the family could have expected.

"This hospital boasts some of the most cardiothoracic treatment facilities in the country, and was purpose-built to accommodate the highly equipped operating theatres and cardiology treatment rooms needed to provide world-class treatment and care.

"This is why we asked for help and support for the cardio wards and Basildon Hospital, as a thank you on behalf of Pam."