This year’s Bantham Swoosh takes place on Saturday July 8.

Swimmers will be getting into the water at Aveton Gifford and will swim to Bantham beach.

Although it’s a 6km swim the river pushes you along.

At the last kilometre there is a big final “swoosh” as the river gets narrower and it pushes you to the finish line.

Each year the times change because of the tides so this year they will be getting into the river at 11.15am.

Everybody sets off to swim in one group, with fastest at the front and slower swimmers at the back.

If you’re comfortable swimming 4km then you can definitely do the Bantham Swoosh, say the organisers.

There will be a celebration on Bantham beach with food vans and a band playing to welcome the finishers. After the main swim they have the ‘mini-swoosh’ which is for children five to 15 years old. They just do the last km where the river swooshes you along.

Swim Collective owns and runs the Bantham Swoosh and is the event arm of the charity Level Water.

Swimmers who buy the charity tickets raise money for children with disabilities to have swimming lessons all over the UK.

The programmes are growing each year and they are about to hit 400 pools.

They also offer general entry tickets — these are sold through a ballot. This swim is so popular that this is the fairest way to decide who can buy a ticket — you buy a chance to do the swim.

Charity tickets at £50 are still available but volunteer tickets have sold out.

Last year the mini-swoosh was enjoyed by some of the children who learned to swim with Level Water, showing that the charity, the event and the sport has come full-circle, as everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim and fall in love with the water.

‘It was an emotional moment for all of us,’ said the charity.

‘Swimming is crucial to many of the children that have Level Water lessons, many of them aren’t able to take part in other kinds of sport. Swimming helps their strength and flexibility in, and out of the water to improve their quality of life. ‘

Charity tickets at £50 are still available but volunteer tickets have sold out.

Among the things that make it special is the fact the estuary they swim in is both shallow and sandy bottomed — so water is clear rather than muddy, and swimmers have a view of the sandy bed most of the way.

The swim culminates in a “swoosh” as the ebbing tide is funnelled through a narrow section of river, speeding you along over the riverbed at up to four times your usual swimming speed. It can run at eight knots and you might spot the local crabs cruising around the river bed beneath you. The Swoosh is a perfect introduction to open water swimming. It’s professional and safe, with lifeguards along the route.

To sign up you can log onto the website: https://tinyurl.com/4zp7dkv3