A PAIR of school children taking on a charity swimming challenge had support from more than 4,500 miles away as a dad cheered on his daughter from Afghanistan.

Nine-year-old Lucy Glossop and her best friend Sam Angiolini, 10, took part in the Sports Relief swimathon to raise money for people living in poverty in the UK and abroad.

But proud dad Peter Glossop, 40, was unable to join in the pool side support as he left the country to work as a firefighter in Kandahar, Afghanistan last week.

He said: “I was massively disappointed not to be there but I’m very proud. She’s only nine so it’s a big achievement."

The duo, who both attend Downe Primary School, completed the one mile swim in less than an hour and managed to raise around £550 for Sports Relief and Marie Curie Cancer Care.