Teacher Dee Llewellyn has vowed to help smash the world record for swimming the English Channel three ways despite seeing her latest bid thwarted by the tides.

The 37-year-old teacher was in a team of six swimmers hoping to break the record in a non-stop relay.

Each swimmer spends an hour in the water, then five hours in a support boat, swimming 12 or 13 miles as they cross the Channel three times.

Dee, of Kirkheaton, was part of the team which set the current record of 32 hours and 30 minutes in 2004, and hoped to break it at the weekend.

Netherhall Learning Campus teacher Dee Llewellyn who is to undertake a record breaking Channel relay effort
Netherhall Learning Campus teacher Dee Llewellyn who is to undertake a record breaking Channel relay effort

But after the team swam the first leg they found the tides were causing havoc and eventually it was deemed too dangerous to continue.

Dee, who is head of maths at Netherhall Learning Campus in Rawthorpe said: “We were doing well, but the tide was just running too strong. We made a mile of progress but travelled six miles down the French coast because of the tide. It was frustrating as we had a really good chance. We were ahead of record pace and thought we could do it.

“We’ll try again, in a couple of years. Fingers crossed the weather will be calm and the tides ok.”