Students from Aberystwyth University have raised almost £800 for Bronglais Hospital’s League of Friends.

Aberystwyth University Swimming and Water Polo Society (AUSWP) raised the money in RAG week with a 12-hour swimathon/relay.

Twenty-seven students made sure that at least one person was swimming up and down the university pool at all times, clocking up an impressive 50,450 yards, or 2,018 lengths of the pool in 12 hours.

When the swimmers swam a length of the pool and were ready to swap over, they performed a relay takeover to make sure that there was always someone swimming in the pool from 7am until 7pm.

Jasmine Ellis said: “We had four people every hour doing a relay.”

A JustGiving page has so far attracted donations of £770 for Bronglais Hospital League of Friends, a cause close to the society’s hearts, as member Oscar Pearcey explained.

He said: “This charity applies to all of us. Students sometimes need help from Bronglais as well as locals.”

Swim coach Charlotte Taylor said the swimathon was “a good opportunity to raise money for a local good cause and it was fun”.

Oscar added: “We should give a shout out to Tom Williams from the society who took part. He had a few drinks one night and donated £100!”

Jarvis Lumb said: “I’m a long distance swimmer so the relay was fine for me, but that was probably the most training I did all week.”

Jarvis, Charlotte, Oscar, and Jasmine recently met League of Friends Chair Elinor Powell, Treasurer Rhian Davies and Secretary Vikki Foale to explain how and why they wanted to raise money for the charity. They were delighted and Elinor thanked the students for their efforts.

“I love the fact they chose this charity because it supports students too and not just locals,” Elinor said.

“We buy much-needed items for patients and staff and this is going to help us to buy more so thank you, it’s just superb.”

The students’ JustGiving page is still open. The page asks for donations “to a local charity that will benefit all of us”.