A BRAMLEY mum is part of an elite group to have completed a solo swim around the island of Jersey.

Zoe Sadler managed to finish the 41-mile continuous swim in 11 hours and 55 minutes on Saturday, July 11, making her the 98th person to successfully complete the route.

She is now listed on a roll of honour on the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club website.

As previously reported in The Gazette, 41-year-old Zoe did the challenge in memory of a little girl who died of cancer.

Amelia Saunders passed away at Naomi House Children’s Hospice in January 2013 after battling a rare form of the disease.

She attended the same school as Zoe’s two children and Zoe hopes her swim will raise vital funds for the hospice, in Sutton Scotney, where Amelia was cared for.

Zoe, of Farriers Close, followed the ‘Channel Rule’ during her swim, wearing just one swimming costume, a swimming cap and a pair of goggles.

She wasn’t allowed to touch the escort boat or another person until the swim was over, but could be passed food and drinks in a bottle or cup.

Speaking to The Gazette after the challenge, Zoe said: “It was hard.

“The first five hours I found hard to get into it and get into a rhythm.

“In my head I was thinking there’s eight or nine hours to go and it seemed like a long time.

“Once I got to five or six hours I was quite into it and it was quite enjoyable.”

The water temperature was around 17C during the swim.

Zoe suffered with stomach ache several hours into the challenge and said: “I ended up being sick.

“My support crew reset me and gave me black tea and peaches to calm me down and settle my stomach.”

She said hour 10 was “unnerving” because of strong winds, adding: “It was rocky and the wind picked up so it got a bit bouncy.”

But she said it was worth it when she crossed the finish line and said she was proud to be one of just a small number to have swum around the island.

Zoe, who works as a pension actuary at KPMG in Reading, has raised around £600 for the hospice through the challenge and is already planning her next fundraising event in 2016.

She is unable to confirm the details yet, but said: “It will be far more challenging.”

To sponsor Zoe visit virginmoneygiving.com/ZoeSadler.