Cool Barker takes the plunge

A former rugby player proved he has thick skin after becoming only the 68th person in the world to officially complete a mile of swimming in near-freezing water.

Mick Barker, 45, of East Stoke, a former prop at Newark Rugby, swam a mile in 40 minutes in a water temperature of less than 5°C.

For the swim to be officially recognised by the International Ice Swimmers Association, Barker had to swim in a normal swimming costume, hat and goggles.

Barker, a gas manager, started ice swimming last autumn.

He completed the Ice Mile at Activities Away, Lincoln, followed by a team of medics, family, and friends.

Barker said: “The first two or three minutes are the hardest because it raises your heart rate a lot and it takes time for it to get back to normal. It is painful at the start.

“It was also very difficult towards the end of the swim because as your body gets colder the blood goes to protect the body’s core so it leaves the extremities such as the hands and feet. Ice swimming can be quite a dangerous past-time.

“I had to be helped into a thermal bag at the end of it.”

Barker said he was confident of completing the mile and found the experience quite enjoyable.

As part of his training he had a heart test, to ensure it was safe for him to do the challenge.

“I hope to one day swim the English Channel and there’s the Big Chill Swim in the Lake District, which I would like to do,” Barker said.