Episode 10 Channel Patrol

It's the busiest waterway in the world.

Come on, Skipper, get a move on that way!

A gateway to our nation.

Over 90% of the world's trade travels by sea.

It is not just TVs and refrigerators, it is

everything around us.

Protected by a multiagency task force, it is

a unique stretch of water.

This is Warship Tyne. Warship Tyne. General 12...

HE MUTTERS

It's very difficult to police the Channel.

To board every vessel is an impossible task.

It is a place where swimmers

and Sunday sailors fight for space with cruise lines...

..and cargo ships.

It's like trying to get across the M25 during rush hour.

For some, the English Channel is their place of work.

If my mum came out here and saw what I was doing,

she'd tell me to get off straightaway.

For others, it is a playground.

Woohoo!

But for those who venture onto its unpredictable waters...

We are just going to assist the moving of the casualty now.

All control, dive off lifeboat.

..it can mean life or death.

Just drag it onto the boat!

I hope my babies get to see this and see what Daddy does for a living.

Today, on Channel Patrol,

Border Force hones in on a suspicious vessel.

The adrenaline starts pumping when you know that something

is of interest to you when you are boarding a target.

An ex-military team attacks the Channel.

It is hard to get back in and swim, because if one person is out,

they're all out.

And it is just another day at the office on a wind farm.

Yeah, it's pretty unique.

Not many people get to see this every day.

Every day, hundreds of boats from all over the globe

pass through the English Channel.

Freighters from the Far East, fishing trawlers

from the Netherlands and ferries passing back and forth to France.

They carry cargo.

Cars.

Catch fish for our dinner.

And transport tourists.

Here you go, thank you very much.

But not all the consignments and crossings are legal.

There are desperate migrants stowing away and smugglers hiding drugs,

contraband and even people inside containers.

An array of organisations including the Navy,

Coast Guard and RNLI

are all vigilant to illegal activity.

But on the front line is the UK's Border Force.

It's a new world,

we've got lots of immigrants coming our way.

So we need to make sure everybody is dealt with properly.

The UK's Border Force commands a fleet of five patrol boats

known as cutters.

They operate 24 hours a day,

365 days a year,

and work to intercept smuggling and trafficking.

They are the first line of defence against criminal activity

before the Channel's ports.

Nick Bonner is the commander on HMS Vigilant.

The English Channel is a big place.

It starts down the other side of Cornwall,

comes right out to Calais, several hundred miles.

We can't be in the right place all the right times.

Today, the crew is patrolling the Channel ten miles south

of Beachy Head, in Sussex.

While we are at sea, we look out for anything that is unusual,

so if anything is not going to a recognised port,

if it looks like it's the wrong sort of boat in the wrong sort of place.

So basically, we have to keep an open mind, see what we can see.

The crew works a demanding two weeks on followed by two weeks' leave.

Deck Officer Steve Peel has worked on the cutter for four years.

The drawbacks of living on board is obviously I share a cabin

with someone else.

It can be quite intense and it is a really small ship.

These guys, they do become your family.

By the end of the two weeks on board,

everyone is tearing their hair out and can't wait to get home.

Our job can be dangerous and I'm sure my wife does worry,

but I am also sure

that she's pleased to get rid of me for two weeks.

Vigilant. Vigilant. From the rear, proceed.

Steve's role is to board suspicious-looking vessels

and conduct interviews and searches.

I used to sit behind a desk for ten years of my career.

This job is totally different than that.

And it's the aspect of not knowing what I'm going to be doing

each day is something that I really enjoy.

Commander Nick has identified something suspicious

further out at sea.

I spotted a yacht on the radar.

I've been watching it for ten minutes or so.

And it looks like it is driving fairly erratically.

It was going north, so it indicates it's coming maybe from France,

maybe from further afield.

Now it has changed course, it is going somewhere else.

It is two miles away from us.

We'll get a RIB team onto the yacht and just establish his credibility.

RIB team ready, please, onto target.

'Two miles. RIB team ready, in five minutes. Thank you.'

I have been in command now for over 20 years

and I still get a buzz out of doing this.

Every time we send a group away, it's different.

We don't know who they are going to talk to,

we don't know what they're going to find, and on top of that,

you've got weather conditions to deal with.

And increasingly now, people don't even speak English.

So an awful lot of sign language and making ourselves understood

regardless of what nationality people are.

Ben Huggings is the second officer on board.

OK, you're ready when we are.

Generally, when the RIB team are deployed,

it's a constant risk assessment to make sure it's safe to carry

out the boarding.

Every boarding is completely different.

One of the biggest jobs I've had to date is

the whole of 400 kilos of cocaine valued at around 100 million.

This was south of the Isle of Wight.

The two people who were taken into Portsmouth and arrested

are subsequently now in jail.

It was a huge job.

And it was our commander that's on board now, actually,

that was in charge.

'Are you ready to copy the name?'

This type of equipment that we come on with,

I appreciate we can be quite daunting, intimidating,

but everyone is trained to explain exactly what our intentions are.

The adrenaline starts pumping when you know that something

is of interest to you when you are boarding a target.

Part of their job is to go inside the yacht to make sure there is

nobody else down there that we've not been told about.

The crew is trained to conduct thorough searches,

and sometimes they discover more unusual illegal immigrants.

I do remember finding an iguana once, a long time ago,

which had come from the Caribbean.

One of our other ships has also found one in the last week.

Now, I understand that last week's one has gone to London zoo,

as did the one I found.

But it was this big.

And when I opened the cupboard, it scared me to death.

The boat they are now heading towards could also be

carrying contraband.

It's wayward sailing could be a sign that the skipper is

evading detection or struggling to control his boat.

Either way, it represents a security risk

and is a legitimate target for further investigation.

Every day, 400 commercial vessels,

including high-speed ferries carrying up to 2,400

passengers at a time, traverse the Channel in the Dover Straits.

During the summer months, this traffic is joined by the daring and

determined cross-Channel swimmers.

Their safety in this busy shipping lane is in the hands

of the Coast Guard, two Channel swimming organisations

and support boat pilots.

Swimmers run on adrenaline and dreams

and pilots run on reality and safety.

As well as being escorted by a pilot, there are strict rules

to be followed for any attempt to be officially recognised.

It is an endurance sport and it is an extreme sport,

and most people choose to do either an extreme sport or

an endurance sport, not combine the both.

We give out a warning to say you don't swim the Channel

if you are not prepared to have your life changed.

The 21-mile crossing was first officially swum in 1875.

But more people have climbed Everest than swum the Channel

and nearly half of all attempts end in failure.

My name is Conrad Thorpe and we hope,

weather permitting, we'll be swimming the English Channel

as a relay of four men.

Today, a fearless squad of ex-military amputees are hoping

to conquer this treacherous crossing in a relay.

It will be the first time that a team of amputees will have

attempted the Channel, the English Channel,

and I hope the four of us as a team succeed.

My name is Steve White

and I just came up with the crackpot idea one Sunday evening about

swimming the Channel.

My name is Jamie Gillespie.

I jumped at the chance.

You know, it's not something I could turn down.

My name is Craig Howorth.

Life is a little bit boring if you don't do things like this.

Picking up the phone on a Sunday afternoon, speaking to people,

saying, "Do you fancy doing this?"

with one too many glasses of red wine in your tummy.

Ironically, the day that our swim window starts will be the sixth

anniversary of having my leg amputated.

I lost my leg back in 2004.

As a young shoulder soldier, I was involved in a motorcycle

accident just before my 20th birthday.

And I damage both of my legs.

One of them could be fixed and the other one couldn't,

so I chose to have it amputated.

To suddenly lose a limb, of course, it is

a challenge that one has to overcome inside your head as well

as the physical disabilities it provides too.

If they succeed in their attempts, it will be a new world record.

But their main goal is to raise money for BLESMA, a charity

that supports servicemen and women who have lost limbs

serving their country.

BLESMA have been there to support me,

help me with various problems I've had over the years.

They picked me up, almost from my hospital bed,

and helped me with my rehabilitation and just gave me

a huge, great confidence boost and help put me back on my feet, really.

It is a piece of water that is very deceptive.

People think of the Channel as rather narrow and benign,

but it is a large piece of sea.

It is subject to lots of weather conditions.

It has the busiest shipping lane in the worlds.

Tankers, container ships, bulk carriers,

all moving east-west into some of Europe's greatest ports.

Things like the jellyfish and so forth are a concern,

but tidal currents are far more of a concern to me.

Bad sea conditions, rough seas...

And the other thing, of course, being on a boat, it is

a very small boat, means it is very unsettled.

So the chance of being seasick there is much higher.

Tell me when to go.

Each will swim in a relay for one hour before changing.

-Whenever you're ready, buddy, off you go.

-Good luck, man!

Woohoo!

As the strongest team member,

Conrad will swim the first stretch from the official start beach.

We want this swim to be a classified swim,

which means we are swimming using the same rules that able-bodied

people would use,

so there have been no concessions for having a peg leg for us.

And I think that is great.

-HORN BLOWS

-Go!

Some of the guys have asked if we can swim with silicone socks on our

stumps, which we use in the prosthetic legs just to help

with the cold, but they've said no,

that wouldn't be a registered swim if we were to do that.

So we all have to swim with our stumps exposed in the water.

The lack of protection from the cold means

they run the risk of experiencing physical sensations

from where their limbs used to be, which can be excruciating.

But this is not the only hurdle they face.

All of us are worried about getting out of the water into the boat.

You can't really be assisted, so you have to climb up a ladder.

So climbing up a ladder with only one leg is going to be a hoot, really.

Steve is the one who is going to suffer the most, obviously,

being an above-knee amputee, because there is no knee to

put his foot on the step at the back of the boat.

You've done your swim and your arms will feel pretty tired,

and then you have got to pull yourself up a ladder with one leg.

The team is coached by Channel swimming veteran

Giovanna Richards.

It is really a difficult day to progress there.

-It looks like he's...

-Yeah, it's very strong.

I told him to hammer down.

I've told Conrad to swim as hard as he can for the first hour

because the tides notoriously near Dover are very strong.

So it is good to push as much as you can in the first hour to get

out and actually get into this swim, so to speak.

-You are doing good, mate!

-Well done, Conrad!

Looking strong as ever. Bloody ox.

-He is a tug.

-Yeah, he is. Toot-toot!

It is time for the first changeover and Steve is up next.

Obviously, with no knee, getting up here is going to be a bit tricky.

Conrad! Conrad!

That's it, mate.

Up you come, Conrad, cos he can't go off till you're sat down, fella.

Conrad can only be helped onto the boat once

he has hoisted himself clear of the water.

Good lad. Yes! Let's go.

-How many nautical miles?

-1.9.

-1.9, good.

-Well done.

-Shame, I wanted it to be two.

-Good work.

That was a good swim, well done.

And Steve is looking lovely and smooth, such a nice stroke.

The team is relying on the boat's skipper, Stu,

to maintain the right speed

and course against ever-changing wind directions and tidal currents.

His decisions could have a major impact on how the team fare.

-Well done, big fella.

-Yeah, cheers to you. How was it?

-Good.

I made you chase the boat.

I noticed, I liked that. I liked chasing the boat a bit.

-You'd let me get a bit of edge in there...

-Not quite that far back.

No, it's good for your mind, though, to chase something, you know?

I was looking for two nautical miles in the first hour and now we're

pushing for at least two nautical miles in the next hour again

in order to kind of get that distance in.

It's very important to keep that distance in.

But I'm going to have a bit of water now, just to get some hydration,

and then I am going to have a stout porkpie. Porkpie.

Because it is full of energy.

And that porkpie is going to drive me the next two nautical miles.

HE LAUGHS

Steve has done a lot of open-water swimming, he is very good.

Very good indeed. Very good pace.

Another vital member of the support crew is Phil Artingstall,

from the Channel Swimming Association,

who will oversee their attempt and ensure this swim is

officially recognised if they succeed.

Steve's swimming well. He's swimming at the same stroke

rate at the moment as Conrad did - 66 strokes a minute.

And he has dropped his reserve, he's nice and comfortable,

so it's a good pace.

The swimmers smother themselves in Vaseline,

not to protect against the cold, but to prevent chafing in salt water.

Jamie is next to take the plunge.

I'm a little bit anxious.

I'm not quite as strong as these two guys and I don't want to let anyone

down, so it will be tempting to get in there

and just work too hard, too soon

and blow myself out and look like a mess,

so I really have to tell myself, "Relax, slow down, keep your head."

-Have a good swim, mate!

-No touching, Jamie! Go, boy!

As the only above-the-knee amputee,

Steve now faces the part of the challenge he's most anxious about.

Yeah, he's going to need some help, mate.

He doesn't have a knee, but...

Can Jamie carry on?

Not yet.

-You all right?

-Yep.

-Good to go?

-Well done, Steve!

-Well done, Steve.

How many is that? How many nautical miles have we got?

-3.5.

-3.5 total now.

He swam 1.6.

Halfway into Jamie's swim,

the conditions become noticeably choppier.

It's the tide, it's the wind, it's the wash from the ferries.

-It is the Channel.

-Yeah, it is what it is.

-It's the Channel, isn't it?

It is what it is.

Steve begins to suffer with sea sickness.

He were OK before he went in the water as well, weren't he?

His body is already depleted after swimming over a mile and a half.

And he has to swim again...twice.

What's important is to manage that correctly

so he's able to swim again.

So he needs to keep his fluids up, eating little snacks - little

and often - taking the seasick pills

and just keeping him warm, really,

because severe sea sickness can compromise a swim.

It is vital Steve takes on fuel to recover.

If he pulls out, the swim is over.

He has got to get back in and swim, basically.

Yeah, because if one person is out, they are all out.

-Lovely.

-Hey, Jamie!

The UK's vast coastline attracts smugglers, traffickers

and illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country.

Last year alone, 4.5 tonnes of drugs

and just under 150 million contraband cigarettes were seized.

And 1,500 suspected immigration offenders were

arrested by the authorities.

The UK's Border Force are in operation 24 hours

a day on the coastal waters, responding to intelligence

and patrolling high-risk locations.

Off the coast of Beachy Head,

the Border Force is approaching a suspicious vessel.

The boat has been sailing erratically, so officers Steve Peel

and Ben Huggings have been dispatched to investigate.

Ben, go ahead.

They are in constant contact with Commander Nick on the mother ship.

Is very difficult to police the Channel.

You can imagine the size of it

and the amount of vessels that are coming in.

To board every vessel is an impossible task,

but we do try our best to get on as many as possible to

ensure that they aren't carrying anything that they shouldn't be.

Out of 100 vessels, it may only be one vessel that is carrying

something that it shouldn't be.

I don't know why this yacht is not going in a straight line.

It may be the man just bought it. It may be he can't drive it.

It may be he doesn't know what he's doing.

On the other hand, it may be that they have got something they

don't want to talk about, so they're just being a little bit evasive.

But the skipper is not evasive and allows the officers on board.

Yes, I understand vessel is secure. Thank you, I'll wait for your call.

Um, we've got one person on board there, so it's like a lone sailor.

The vessel is secure, means there's been no resistance.

It was quite a passive boarding.

So we're just establishing credibility.

OK, so where have you travelled from today?

-Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne.

-OK.

-And where you travelling to?

-Back to Sovereign Harbour.

Eventually.

It should have been Brighton, but the wind direction was wrong,

so I didn't make that.

And when was the last time you were outside of the UK?

I don't go over the water, I'm coastal only.

-No problem. Lovely day for a sail.

-Excellent.

-The winds are a bit of a mess.

-Nick, Ben.

-I'm ready when you are, over.

-Yes, ready to copy.

'Echo, India, Lima, Sierra, Tango, India, Echo, November.

'Do copy, over.'

It is all copied, thank you.

At the moment, the only information we have is the name of the op, which

we can check through our control, and also where it is registered.

The SSR number is a bit like a car numberplate.

It is unique and we can check the owner via that database.

Is there anything on the vessel that we need to be aware of?

Such as firearms, explosives, controlled drugs,

indecent, obscene material?

No, no, no. Nothing at all.

Standard flares and emergency equipment, and that's it.

We're about two miles just off of Newhaven.

We noticed from our radar that there were several erratic

alterations of course.

-Yes.

-Could you just tell us why that was the case?

I've been doing that all day, basically, every time I'd

be on the wind and I'd lose it, the wind turned, and I'm back off again.

-OK, so you're just chasing the wind.

-Yeah. I stalled out about three times

OK.

I'm searching for the wind now.

Commander Nick is concerned about his erratic sailing,

especially as he is approaching a major shipping lane.

Two miles, TSS. That's all copied.

So, just to let you know, TSS is two miles to the south of us.

-It's just for your safety, that's all.

-Yeah.

-There's a hell of a lot of ships out there.

-Yeah, there are.

I'm going to have to turn around and sail home anyway.

-I'm a long way off shore.

-OK.

OK, sir, we're happy.

Hopefully, you'll have a safe journey off to Eastbourne.

-Thank you.

-OK?

The team gives the yacht and its skipper the all clear.

We got on the yacht, as you can see, all in black.

The guy was sitting there, thinking, "What is happening here?"

Anyway, it turns out he was just out for the day,

just sailing out from Eastbourne, trying to get to Brighton.

Unfortunately, the wind wasn't strong enough

so he ended up back in Eastbourne today.

When it comes to safeguarding the UK,

the Border Force never take anything on face value.

No-one will ever know what a smuggler looks like,

so until we actually start asking questions,

we will never know what is actually there and

whether this particular person is someone involved

in anything illicit.

After a 12-hours shift, the Force returns to shore at Newhaven.

We have kept the Channel safe for another day.

The UK's coastline is brimming with industries,

from marine fisheries, import and export of goods

and energy.

All of the UK's nuclear power stations are located on coastal

sites and are highly vulnerable to rising sea levels,

something that is thought to be one of the likeliest

outcomes of global warming, making them even more at risk.

But as an island nation with 11,000 miles of coastline, we are

perfectly positioned to harness an important natural resource.

The UK has more offshore wind farms than the rest of the world combined.

Over 1,000 turbines dotted across 22 locations exploit the strong

wind speeds off our coast.

These towering monoliths are helping reduce the UK's

reliance on fossil fuels and energy imports.

One of the largest wind farms in the world is located in the Channel,

seven miles off the coast of Thanet, in Kent.

Offshore technician Stewart Box is on his way to work,

but this is no ordinary commute.

Today we are going to a turbine to do some annual maintenance,

just to make sure that all the electrical stuff is still in order.

It is a 30-minute boat journey to the turbine field that

generates enough clean power to keep 200,000 homes running for a year.

I used to be an electrician doing household jobs at factories

and shops, but as soon as I had the chance to come out here,

offshore in the wind,

it's like it was a no-brainer, I had to go and do it.

A bit of adventure, a bit different, out at sea.

I've been here for nearly four years now,

so when you're out here, it is sort of...

It has become the norm now, but I still look around sometimes,

I look outside, and I go, "This is my office.

"I can't believe I work here."

We come out to maintain the turbines pretty much seven days a week.

There is usually always guys working.

We try to get as much work as we possibly can done in the summer,

because when the winter comes, we are battling the elements then,

so there is a big push for summer work to get done.

When the waves are too high, we can't go offshore to work.

Also when the wind is too much...

No matter what, when you think

you've got it sussed, something always comes up.

It is just a massive challenge just to get work done here.

Today, as well as performing routine internal checks,

Stewart must also venture out onto the head of the turbine.

This can be a dangerous job just because you are working at height and

you're working at sea, so just being offshore is inherently dangerous.

Even the first leg of the journey to the platform at 15 metres is risky.

So Stewart makes sure he is hooked on at all times.

It is definitely a tiring job what we do.

You are constantly climbing,

constantly using your physical energy all the time.

Once they are on the platform, it is still

another 70-metre ride up to the very top.

You can't do this job if you've got a fear of heights

cos you are always working at height.

Now we are at the top.

We've got to climb another ladder and then we'll get to the top,

which is in the cell, where all the main components are.

The space is so tight that the crew has to hoist up the equipment

after they are in position.

First, the maintenance crew checks the very heart

of the turbine's mechanics.

You can't plug a wind turbine directly into the national grid,

so a transformer safely converts the electricity to the right voltage.

These transformers step the voltage up from 1,000 volts,

which is what the turbine produces electricity at, up to 33,000 volts,

which goes into the national grid.

We only get access to this transformer room once a year,

so we have to check that the bolts are their correct tightness.

With the bolts tightened, it is time to prepare the turbine

so Stewart can climb out onto the summit.

Basically, now I am going to lock the blades

so that the moving component of the turbines is stopped.

You definitely would not want to be outside or anywhere near those blades

when they're moving.

You have got no control whatsoever where the wind is taking them.

These are hard-joint locking pins, so you are pumping fluid

into the locks to push pins into the blades to stop them turning.

It is now safe for Stewart to brave the elements.

A spine chilling 85 metres above sea level.

A bit scared. The first time I was up here, I was scared.

If my mum and dad came out here and saw what I was doing up here,

my mum would tell me to get off straightaway.

Just getting a trust for the equipment.

Once that trust is built, you don't think about the fear factor any more.

As long as you know you are clipping

on right and you are doing things properly.

That is what we get to see every day.

It is not always this sunny, but you can't win them all.

Yeah, it's pretty unique. Not many people get to see this every day.

What we do is preventative maintenance.

We're topping off the coolant.

So the coolant basically keeps the generator and gearbox nice and cool,

so just like your car, you have to put coolant in every now and then,

that's the same thing we do out here, to make sure it don't shut down.

If there is no coolant in them, these turbines would overheat pretty quick.

Keeping this 100-strong wind farm running is a big job.

And Stewart's maintenance crew forms a tight unit.

We've got a good group of guys, we have a good laugh,

a good bit of banter between us, so get the day to go by.

I don't think Stewart is a very good technician at all. He's very lazy.

I'm working with idiots.

Always giving me grief, these two monkeys. But it's good,

it is always having a laugh. I give them grief,

they give me grief.

He does try really hard.

There is a little comfort in there. There is a little sliver.

Yeah, the job is pretty special.

I love this job because it is different to any other job

I've ever had, it's different from most people's nine-to-five.

-Do you want some more?

-No, I'm good.

You look out and you think,

"I'm having my lunch on the top of a tower in the middle of the sea."

Nice view. You can see France over there.

Peaceful.

It's not a bad way of life. Is it, boys?

Yeah, we're lucky when it's sunny, we get to sit out on the roof

and have lunch.

I think you got to be a bit of an adventurous person to come out

here in the first place anyway.

You get your adrenaline rush every day.

I want to be doing this for as long as the body lets me, basically.

In this remote part of the Channel, the mechanics

continue their important work to keep the wind farm running.

All ships in the Dover Strait, this is Dover Coast Guard.

But round the corner, in the bustling Dover Straits,

the ex-military amputees have just crossed through

the first of two shipping lanes.

Taking it in turns, they have swum alongside vast tankers and ferries.

Big cargo ship looming down on us.

You are conscious of being too far away from the boat, too close

to the boat. You put your head up, take a breath and then you get

a big mouthful of water.

So everything is changing, everything is changing

all the time and you hardly get the chance to get great

consistency like you would in a flat lake or in a swimming pool.

Steve White is about to begin his second swim.

He has endured chronic sea sickness and has been unable to refuel.

He must now find the strength to swim two more miles.

If he pulls out,

the team's attempt to set a new world record will end in failure.

The crew is depending on him to dig deep.

When you are in the water, you don't actually feel seasick.

It is actually when you are on the boat that it's worse.

So as soon as he gets in the water, he'll feel much better.

But with nothing in his stomach,

the team is worried his energy levels have suffered.

After this one... If he can't keep it down after this one...

Yeah, I'd be worried.

He'll pull it out of the tank for this one, but then he needs food.

Yeah, he has got to.

As he struggles against the waves, Steve's stroke rate drops.

It is getting to the stage where

they're putting themselves at risk

and there's visible signs that

they're not going to be able to complete it, then yes, you would

have to think of stepping and saying, "Enough is enough."

Despite running on empty,

Steve covers a respectable distance during his stint.

Go for it, Jamie! Come on.

Now he has to try to ride out three hours

back on the boat before his next swim.

But the sea sickness returns straightaway.

-Should I go?

-Yes, let's go!

The team is now halfway across the Channel, but it is impossible

to predict how long it will be until they reach France.

You can never judge a swim this far off.

There's so many variables - the wind could change direction, the tide

could be strong or less strong,

you could go farther, you could not go as far...

So predictions at this stage cannot be done.

With Conrad pushing out another two miles, it is

Steve's turn to re-enter the water.

What we need you to do, when you get in there,

is push us out of this lane and into coastal waters.

-I'll do that.

-All right?

-Good luck, Steve. Enjoy.

-Can I go in?

-Can he go in?

-Yeah.

We've only got a few miles left now, it's the last big push.

We are just going through the second shipping lane.

Once we get to the other side of that, then it is the final push

to France.

Steve's stroke rate is up by four strokes a minute on his last swim.

His stroke rate is 66 strokes a minute.

You can see him pulling as well.

Doing well for a man who is not feeling too good.

-There is something just on the horizon there.

-That is France!

Yay! Well done.

Bring it home, brothers.

He has done his job.

I asked him to get the team to the edge of the lane,

and he has done that.

So good on him.

Despite the sea sickness,

Steve's efforts put the team firmly on course for success.

Well done, Steve. Good work!

-You all right?

-Yeah.

-Well done.

You are counting on your mates now.

This is really important for us as a group of lads.

With France in sight and the tide on their side,

Jamie and Craig also turn out their best swims of the day.

Go on, Craig!

With the landing beach in sight, it is

now up to Conrad to swim the last stretch to France...

..in what could be a world record.

Good lad.

Go on, Conrad!

But now the coastal tide is painfully prolonging the finish.

It is pushing us down there and what we want to be doing is either

going straight in there or going right in the corner to the beaches.

What we are going to have to do is just let the tide go and then try

and pull us back around here.

Come on, Conrad!

Despite the poor weather and tough Channel conditions,

the team complete their swim in just 12 hours and 14 minutes.

THEY YELL

HORN SOUNDS

Really happy. Just really pleased it is done.

Steve struggled big time.

I'm pleased... I'm pleased that we made it.

-Great job, Conrad.

-Well done, mate. Awesome.

-Hell of a swim, man.

You did exactly what I asked you to do.

-Well done, mate, well done.

-Excellent.

You know, we've done it, we have completed it as a team,

which is fantastic. And we came and did what we said we were going to do.

That's it.

Well done, fellas.

They have set a new world record,

becoming the first all-amputee relay team to cross the Channel.

The team must now return to Dover, to a tradition that awaits all

those who have successfully made the swim.

The money they have raised will go towards helping other

ex-servicemen and women recover from and live with limb loss.

-To the team.

-Well done.

And to a new world record as well.

ALL: Yes!

Well done.

In achieving a world first,

their names are forever etched in the history books of the Channel.

The place where so many other battles have been lost and won.