A boy who was buried in rubble as a toddler following a freak accident is now swimming the length of the English Channel to help others who live their lives in pain.
Finlay Bews, now seven, is well underway to reaching his waterborne goal which will see him swim a total of 1,416 lengths of Kincorth Pool in Aberdeen in aid of spinal injuries charity Aspire.
The boy, of Hilton, was 18 months old when a van crashed in to a wall, burying him and his buggy in stones.
Since then, a pain in his leg sometimes keeps him awake at night and he has some trouble with his shoulder but Finlay was determined to help others.
His mother Michelle said her son, a member of Bon Accord Thistle Amateur Swimming Club, would be in the water “all day every day” if possible.
She added: “He only started swimming when he was six but he absolutely loves it.
“He would swim all day every day if he could. He swims three times a week.
“His dad had actually picked up the leaflet for the English Channel challenge when he was with Finlay at the swimming pool thinking he might do it, but he decided he didn’t have the time to dedicate to it.
“But Finlay asked what it was and said ‘I’ll do it, I want to help people.”
Finlay has so far swum 1,015 lengths and aims to reach the finishing line within the next three weeks.
After his accident, Finlay required stitches but miraculously had no broken bones.
The youngster, a pupil at Sunnybank Primary, is also in the process of being diagnosed with Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD) although doctors are unsure whether this is related to the accident.
The condition has left his co-ordination impaired and occasionally he puts clothes on back to front.
Finlay began swimming a year ago and finds it improves his muscle strength and his movement.
His mother Michelle commented: “Swimming really helps him as it’s repetitive so he can learn the motions, and it helps his shoulder. He would swim all day if he could.”