LONG distance swimmer Mark Blewitt has conquered the English Channel.

Lowton marathon man Mark, 35, who suffers from diabetes, completed the Channel crossing in 16 hours 20 minutes.

Already he has swam 28.5 miles around New York's Manhattan Island and last year did a gruelling two-way Lake Windermere Swim -- two lengths of England's longest lake -- in a time of 14 hours 22 minutes.

On the Channel swim Mark was supported by a boat crew including "Queen of the channel" Alison Streeter, who has completed the gruelling swim a record breaking 40 times, pilot Mike Oram, specialist diabetes nurse Judith Campbell and Clive Burbage.

"I am in enormous debt to my support team, knowing they were looking out for me let me concentrate on swimming, swimming and nothing else," said Mark.

"I was concerned near the end when the mist prevented me from seeing the finish right up until the last possible moment. I just literally had to have blind faith and believe."

"Through modern communications messages of support from long distance swimming fans all over the world were relayed to me from my support boat. Things have certainly come along way since Captain Matthew Webb made the first crossing in 1875, although only about 600 people have completed the swim since."

This year Mark has competed in open water swims at Torbay, Rivington, Llanberis and Budworth, and trains most weekends in Lake Windermere.