Grandfather swims channel

A 70-YEAR-OLD grandfather became the oldest person to swim across the English Channel yesterday, making it to France after almost 18 hours.

Roger Allsopp waded into the chilly sea at Shakespeare Beach in Dover, south-east England, at 7am on Tuesday, aiming for Cap Gris-Nez on the north-east French coast, some 34 kilometres away.

“I do feel an immense sense of achievement,” said the retired breast cancer surgeon from Guernsey, after swimming for almost 18 hours across the English Channel.