A first year Film Studies and Drama student from the Arts Law and Social Sciences (ALSS) Faculty of Anglia Ruskin University's Cambridge campus is aiming to become the youngest person to swim the English Channel this year.

Edward Williams (19), who is keen to pursue a career in radio and television when he graduates from university, is making the most of all the publicity opportunities that are being offered to him in the run up to the challenge.

Edward hopes to complete the 23.69 mile sea swim, scheduled to take place during August, in just 10-14 hours. His challenge will see him dip into the sea at Folkestone and swim over to Calais in France. He will be swimming to raise money in aid of Prostate Cancer Research. His father, a Harley Street surgeon, devoted a huge part of his career to the disease only to contract it himself. While his father has now beaten the disease, it still affects 40,000 men in the UK every year. 11,000 of the cases are fatal.

His tough training regime means that he puts in four hours of exercise around his day of studying which equates to around 40 miles a week in the water. He swims for 2 hours in the morning, and 2 in the evening but he loves the constant balance of studying and training. Edward also works as a DJ and somehow also manages to fit this in as well!

Edward is already an accomplished swimmer. He has been planning the swim since he was 14-years' old. Last year he was the fastest 19-year old featuring in the National Masters Championship in Sheffield in the 200m backstroke and 50m butterfly.

Edward is living in Cambridge but is originally from Bedfordshire, where he was the youngest ever Captain of St Neots Swans swimming club at the age of 14.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Edward's swim can do so at www.edward-williams.org.uk