A UNIVERSITY teacher has splashed out to raise money for charity.

Elisabeth Yaneske swam 200 lengths to raise £800 for Marie Curie Cancer Care, in memory of her grandfather, Walter Paul.

Many years ago, Mr Paul, who died of stomach cancer, had challenged his future wife to a race in a swimming pool, not realising she was a swimming champion.

Miss Yaneske, who swam her 200 lengths in a pool at Darlington's Dolphin Centre, explained: "Swimming has a long tradition in my family, from when my grandad first met my grandmother in the local pool and confidently challenged her to race to show off his swimming prowess.

"Unfortunately for him, my grandmother was a diving and swimming champion and proceeded to soundly thrash him.''

Miss Yaneske, a learning and teaching co-ordinator at the University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, swam 5km to raise money as a thank-you for the nursing charity that cared for her grandfather.

The keen swimmer won six gold medals in April at the Scottish Masters Nationals. Her greatest achievement was finishing ninth in Europe, in the 100m breaststroke.