Walliams vs The Thames update
After much speculation about what time and even day the Walliams flotilla would be reaching Teddington Lock, he clawed back lost time and arrived just after the 7:30pm target on Sunday night.
He was actually advised to not swim in the London section of the Thames due to the large amount of sewage dumped in it recently – 500,000 cubic metres of raw sewage since Monday according to Thames Water! This could explain the “Thames Tummy” condition that blighted earlier days of his challenge.
Having powered all the way from Old Windsor Lock to Teddington in one day (21 miles in one day versus the usual 17) the support crew were grateful to the huge crowds who braved the torrential downpours to wait on the bridges and along the Thames – “good couple of thousand people cheering him over the last 500
meters”
The crowds were so big that leaving via the bridge afterwards was described by the team as “like leaving a footy match”
Photo: hdpms.
Packed like sardines on the footbridge
Photo: Rebekah Taylor
Some great footage from maxx87 of his arrival and being greeted by fans on the Teddington side of the bridge before being whisked down Ferry road towards warm clothes and even warmer food.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em_TG-wZ07c&w=500&h=345]
Some early-rising well-wishers turned up on Monday before 7am to wish him well on his journey towards central London in the tidal section of his swim.
Photo: Graham Bancroft
His mammoth journey will end just after 6pm tonight at Westminster. It’s not too late to add to the huge total already raised for charity – see SportRelief website for donation details.
Some comedians will swim through raw sewage if there’s a few quid in it.