Shotley veteran first above knee amputee to swim Lake Geneva

Steve White, who lost his left leg after a training injury, made the gruelling nine miles crossing without a wetsuit in 5 hours 19 minutes to claim the record and raise almost £3,000 for a military charity.

Steve trained for two years for his mammoth swim (Image: Blesma)

The 58-year-old, from Shotley, Suffolk, who trained for two years, said: “Swimming is liberating for me - when I am in the water I am not disabled. I am able to compete alongside those that aren’t disabled on equal terms, although I swim using only my arms.”

Steve, who served in the Royal Green Jackets infantry regiment, was part of the first all-amputee team to swim the English Channel in 2014 and the first amputee to swim the two-mile Alcatraz Crossing in San Francisco Bay.

“I was due to swim Lake Geneva last July but the flight cancellations that blighted the UK last summer stopped that,” added Steve, who is a Trustee of Blesma, The Limbless Veterans charity.

“I’m relieved I’ve completed it as so many people sponsored the attempt and I didn’t want to let them down after having to cancel last year.

“The water quality in Lake Geneva was fantastic and mostly around 19C apart from several cool patches where water runs off from mountains and glaciers and the temperature dips to 13C.”

Steve kept going for over 5 hours (Image: Blesma)

Steve left the Army in 1986 to pursue a career in business and is now chair of a housing association and on the board or an organisation that provides housing and care and support services.

He endured more than 20 operations to save the leg but eventually had the amputation in September, 2008, and joined Blesma, which specialises in supporting military veterans lead independent and fulfilling lives.

“Blesma’s work directly supports our members in so many ways and we are truly fortunate to have an organisation that is so focused on its mission and has the skills and resources to offer help and support,” said Steve.

“Blesma members do the most amazing things and show what can be achieved.”

Steve, who swims regularly throughout the year, is re-uniting with the cross-Channel team for a 10th anniversary attempt on the 21-mile England to France course next year.