A BARRY swimming club member will be taking on the epic challenge of swimming the entire length of the River Severn for charity.

The River Severn is the longest river in the UK and Vale Open Water Swimming Club member Ross O'Sullivan will be swimming the entire 354km distance for charity next month.

Starting from the Severn's source in Llandiloes on June 1, Mr O'Sullivan will spend 20 days swimming 15 to 20km a day to Severn beach in Gloucestershire. Between bouts of swimming he will be camping out overnight on the river bank and will be joined by two kayakers for safety.

Mr O'Sullivan, who lived in Cobh, Ireland before moving to Wales two years ago, admits that the challenge will be a far cry from the open water swimming he currently takes part in on Barry Island.

"I've been swimming in open water for six years and I've been doing this kind of thing for a while now," the 25-year-old civil engineer said. "I used to do things like this in Ireland all the time but since coming over here for work I haven't had the chance. I just feel like it's time to unleash my adventurous side again."

He said: "This is my first challenge in Wales and I'm quite nervous about it.

"I've done challenges in the past that might be 10km swims, but this is 15 to 20km a day for 20 days. Also there are all the dangers involved here, like parasites in the water or swimming through sewage. It's doable but it'll definitely be tough."

The challenge will be raising funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association in a tribute to his uncle who died from the disease in November 2011, just 18 months after being diagnosed.

To sponsor Mr O'Sullivan visit his fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RossOSullivan.

To keep up to date wit the challenge visit Mr O'Sullivan's website http//rossosullivan.com/