A new record has been set for crossing the Channel by kayak.

London 2012 Olympic hopeful Paul Wycherley, from Guildford, hopes to have raised £100,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Prince’s Charities.

He set off from the beach at Dover at 9.35am and paddled out of the western entrance of the harbour heading for France. He landed at Cap Gris Nez after two hours and 28 minutes, 31 minutes quicker than the previous record set in 2007 by Ian Wynne.

He was escorted by pilot Mike Oram on his boat Gallivant, and an inflatable boat as a back-up.