by Nick Lillitos

Brrr! The Ice Lady of Paddock Wood cometh - swimming in a Siberian river event this Sunday, where the air temp will be minus 40c and water at zero.

She’s 58.

While Britain struggles to keep warm Jackie Cobell will be taking on the Russians at their Ice Cold Water Championships in Tyumen, a city located on the banks of Tura River.

But there’s just one snag: the river is currently one huge lump of ice some nine inches thick.

Chain saws are busy carving out a pool area large enough to accommodate six lanes.

Mrs Cobell is well prepared. This week she became the first woman in Britain to swim the Ice Mile, an extreme cold water stretch in water of 5c or less.

She achieved it at Holborough Lake, Snodland, as part of the preparatory build up to Siberia.