A pupil at Epping St John’s School has singlehandedly raised £500 for charity The Dream Factory.
Molly Curtis, 13 from North Weald, organised a sponsored swim herself, setting a target of swimming 100 lengths in an hour.
The year eight student however, finished in well under an hour so, supported by her parents and brother, pushed herself to complete 120 lengths.
Molly had the opportunity to present Dream Factory founder, Avril Mills, with the cheque in a school assembly today.
Molly said: “It was a little bit tiring but I thought there are other children suffering with cancer and illnesses and they inspired me to do the swim.”