A Powys man has raised over £1,000 for charity by swimming 10km in the River Usk.

Ian Runacres, from Talyllyn, swam the impressive distance on the first Saturday of September

Starting from Brecon Promenade, Ian completed the 10km over ten laps in just under three hours and 15 minutes.

Ian chose to raise money for Sarcoma UK in solidarity with a family friend who has recently been diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer of the smooth muscle.

The keen swimmer was originally supposed to be travelling to Devon to take part in a larger event in the River Dark, although this was cancelled on the last minute.

“I switched to the Usk where I’ve been training, which was a lot harder as there’s no tide to help and it was half upstream,” he said.

Speaking about his swim, Ian said: “I’d like to thank the golf club for keeping their balls on the course and not flying them into the river at my head - I dived down and picked up a Callaway 4 as a souvenir at the finish line.”

Ian has currently raised £1,151 on his JustGiving page for Sarcoma UK, if you would like to donate you can do so at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-runacres1

Sarcoma UK is a national charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer and campaigns for better treatments. Sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the bone and soft tissue. It is difficult to diagnose and one of the hardest to treat.

Donations will help researchers find answers, keep their Support Line open, and raise awareness to improve treatment and standards of care.