AN EIGHT-year-old boy hopes to raise around £1,000 for a cancer charity after swimming 1,500 metres in 45 minutes.

Mohammad Mahdi Karim was inspired to take part in the Swimathon, which raises money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity, after a friend of his family was diagnosed with cancer.

Mahdi, a pupil at Little Chalfont Primary School and a member of Amersham Swimming Club, has so far collected £750 in sponsorship and is hoping to raise even more.

He completed his Swimathon at Chiltern Pools in Amersham after 38-year-old Dr Salima Padhani, a family friend who is expecting her first child, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mahdi's said after completing the swim he was pleased to be raising about one hour's nursing support for a cancer patient with every length that he swam.

He added he was pleased with the level of support he has had from friends, family, parents at school, the mosque and the 1st Amersham Scout group.

Anyone who still wishes to sponsor Mahdi can do so by going to http://my.artezglobal.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=291090.