A Halesowen woman hopes to become one of an elite group of people who have swum the English Channel.
Natasha Putnins will endure 17 hours of gruelling swimming across the channel braving jellyfish and sewage slicks as she covers the 35k from Dover to Griz Nez in France.
Natasha hopes to raise £2,000 from sponsorship for the charity Breast Cancer Haven which provides care and support for cancer patients and their families.
The energetic 33-year-old decided to take on the challenge when she was made redundant from her job as human resources manager last December.
She said: "I wanted a goal - something to achieve - something positive to motivate me.
"I'm nervous and excited at the same time - we have been training for this for the last eight months."
Natasha, who divides her time between Halesowen and London will start a new job in human resources after the swim.
She has trained in outdoor ponds in Australia and New Zealand and has been bitten by water beetles, had frog spawn in her bikini and has dodged jellyfish along the way.
Her team mates Andrew Collinson, Michael Collinson, Eleanor Etherington, Edith MacGill and Nick Webb will be taking on the challenge alongside her.
The team, called Webbs Wonders, was waiting to hear whether the weather would let members make the crossing today (Friday).
To sponsor Natasha visit the website www.justgiving.com/natashaputninsisswimmingtofrance
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