A swim-a-thon raised more than £4,000 for the family of a motorcyclist who died in a crash earlier this year.

Tomasz Kozmicki, from Evesham, was pronounced dead at the scene following a collision on the A44 near Pershore on July 9.

Mr Kozmicka, aged 41, left behind his wife, two children aged six and eight and his wife Agata, who is battling an aggressive brain tumour.

Now, a team of open water swimmers, who had never met Mr Kozmicka, have raised £4,322 for his family by completing a 12-hour swim-a-thon at the Lenches Lakes.

One of the team, Tim Lewis said: “A number of the guys on the team ride bikes, so it automatically hit home. It also happened outside on one of our teams’ houses sowe saw all the tributes and messages to Tomasz.”

The team arranged the event with Amanda Badger, manager at the lakes, and before they knew it seven other teams were getting involved, raising money for a wide variety of causes.

Taking place on Sunday, October 3, the swim was a great challenge, but Tim and the rest of the team agreed it was worth it to see how happy it made Tomasz’ family.

He said: “She (Agata) is one very brave lady and meeting her put the day and our bit of swimming into perspective. She put all of us at our ease and we would all have done another mile if she'd asked us - she also makes very good cakes!

Teammate Jonathan Ward added: “It was touching and humbling to meet Agata and her children.

“At the end of the day when I was feeling cold and tired and had to get back in to swim I thought ‘no matter how cold and tired I am at the moment, that is nothing compared to what Agata must be going through each day and swimming another few laps is the least I can do to help’.

“I actually felt quite emotional on the Monday morning as I thought that we were waking up a bit tired and aching, yet our lives carry on as normal now, and yet Agata wakes up in the same nightmare each day, not knowing how she will cope over the next few months.”