West Midlands firefighter who died attempting to swim English channel remembered with marathon swim

A West Midlands firefighter who died while attempting to swim across the English channel has been remembered with a marathon swim for charity.

It's the second charity swim that's taken place to raise money for The Fire Fighter's Charity since Iain Hughes died in 2023.

Iain's colleague Jim McParland says it's the perfect way to remember Iain.

"We've run this event twice now, and it is a fantastic way of remembering Iain.

"The most important thing is we all get together. We support each other, it's quite a happy occassion.

"We're doing what Iain loved to do, in a gym where he used to train."

Over 90 people took place in the 36-hour swim at a leisure centre in Brierely Hill.

Jim McParland says Iain wanted to help others get into swimming.

"He was really into swimming, and getting other people into swimming and giving them advice.

"It just seemed like a really fitting way of remembering him."