Copywriting - Nicola heads to France the hard way

Surely it's easier to take the tunnel? Sometime over the next few days, Lexicon's Nicola Joyce and a crew of likeminded friends will take to the cold, rough waters of the world's busiest shipping lanes in order to swim from England to France - and back again.

Copywriter Nicola and 5 female friends (the team is unofficially nicknamed the Tough Titties) will leave Dover and take it in turns to swim for an hour in the 15*C waters of the Channel until they reach France. But that's not going to be enough for them. 4 of the 6 have already made a solo crossing from England to France so, as a team, they'll touch the shores of France and....turn round, not stopping til they are safely back on dry land in England.

The swim is likely to take between 25 and 30 hours in total. When Nicola swam the Channel by herself last July, it took 14 hours and 15 minutes, but a relay swim is typically faster because the swimmers can rest.

No wetsuit, no flippers, not even any goose fat (modern channel swimmers don't use it). Just 6 swimmers in a standard swimming costume, hat and goggles.

Watch this space to see how Nicola and the rest of the team get on.

Au revoir!