A Stoke Newington woman is in training to swim 10 miles across a sea in Bangladesh to raise awareness of drowning in the flood-prone country.

Hackney Gazette: Becky Horsbrugh teaching swimming in BangladeshBecky Horsbrugh teaching swimming in Bangladesh (Image: Becky Horsbrugh)

It is claimed some 50 children drown every day in Bangladesh, compared with five a year in the UK.

Becky Horsbrugh, 48, will swim the Bangla Channel on January 29 to fund swimming lessons for youngsters.

The journalist, who covers Asia news at Associated Press, has already been giving lessons herself in the country where drowning is the leading cause of death among children aged one to 17.

She told the Gazette: “If the money raised saves even one life, then doing the swim and all my training will be worth it.

Hackney Gazette: Becky Horsbrugh teaching children how to swim in BangladeshBecky Horsbrugh teaching children how to swim in Bangladesh (Image: Becky Horsbrugh)

“It’s almost impossible to imagine how 50 children a day can die there in the water.”

To donate see gofundme.com/my-bangla-swim.