A NEW world record has been set for the fastest Dover to Calais Channel swim.

Christof Wandratsch, 39, from Bavaria in Germany, swam the Channel on Monday in seven hours and three minutes, beating the previous record held by American Chad Hundeby by 14 minutes.

That record was set in 1994.

The new record holder, a primary school teacher, explained that swimming the Channel was a well known challenge in Germany and even appears in children's textbooks.

He said: "I am really happy. The first hour was fine, then hours two and three were not easy.

"But I started having problems after four hours. I started panicking and having cramps. But my coach made me relax and finally I did it."

He is not sure what challenge will be next, but said he might come back next year and try to do it in under seven hours.

"I was very lucky this time, the weather was very good," he added.