ENDURANCE swimmer Beth French, from Milverton, has called an end to her record-breaking attempt to swim seven ocean channels in a year to care for her autistic son.

Beth, 36, swam five out of the seven channels but decided to quit as the challenge was putting too much strain on her son Dylan, aged eight.

She says she has not been able to sleep for eight months after swimming the 28-mile Molokai Channel in Hawaii and added that her son’s anxiety is at its peak when she embarks on her swimming challenges.

In a Facebook post to her followers she said: “When I started this project in 2012, Dylan was three. Now he is eight and I am having to home school him. Juggling life as a self-employed lone parent is tough. Swimming offered me balance and adventure which I craved but since the Molokai Channel I have had a different perspective.

“We both love the travel that it has allowed us, we love adventure. The fallout for Dylan is that he is feeling awful about himself as he is not able to control his stress levels and gets terrified about hurting people because of it.

“I hope he learns it is OK to know when to back down. I am my own hero, I am capable and brave and I am blessed. It was a huge decision but the lesson I chose is to let go. It was always a decision that I would make in the water.”

Miss French said she felt she ended up trying to swim for others and that she felt bad for herself and her son. “I knew I can be driven, I am tenacious and I absolutely believe that I could achieve Oceans7 in a year but the cost to my son is too great,” she said. “This adventure has taught me so much. I don’t need to prove anything.

“There is an incredible community of people who are willing to invest in your dreams and I hope I continue to inspire others not just to challenge themselves but that it is also OK to not get where you thought you were going.

“Sorry to those that are disappointed, I swam on for over five hours after I wanted to end it, I have never wanted to get out before. I believe it is the right thing to do for my family. Thank you to everyone for all your support. It has meant so much to me.

“The adventure isn’t over, it has just changed.”