Cops from Stoke Newington Police Station swapped their truncheons for trunks when they succeeded in swimming around the Isle of Wight to help save the life of a colleague’s daughter last week.

The eight Hackney officers past and present braved the waters without wetsuits to raise money for childhood cancer sufferer Robyn Higgins.

Jon Benton, Will Hughes, Emma Coppin, John Caulfield, Mark Rayworth, Mike Delaney, Tim Pockney and Andy Pryke set off from Squadron Point in Cowes at 4.30pm on Thursday (September 16) after several failed attempts to complete the 60 mile challenge.

The team have raised �2,500 so far for eight-year-old Robyn, whose dad Greg Higgins is a serving officer in Hackney.

She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in May last year and her family are currently in the United States trying to collect �300,000 for treatment not available in Britain.

The officers took turns to swim the distance, completing the course in 30 hours and 33 minutes.

Their hardest hurdle was swimming around the Needles in the black of night, with just three swimmers taking part as many of the team members were out of action due to sea sickness.

But they all arrived safely back in Cowes at 11pm on Friday.

DC Will Hughes said: ‘I would like to express a huge thank you to Jon Benton who led the team from the front, without him this challenge would not have been possible.

“We had our ups and downs, as you would expect on a trip like this. We are continuing to raise as much money as we can for Robyn and welcome any further donation.”

He also thanked Keith Ward who kayaked alongside for ten hours non-stop through the night as well as David Cocks, Nick Lashmar, Neil Hawes and Matt Jackson for crewing the support boats and Dave Lawrence for giving nutritional advice.

To sponsor the team go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/swim4robyn.