Ex-Royal Marines Commando living with fourth cancer diagnosis to take a dip in Morecambe sea as part of 31-day challenge

Tim is raising money for RMA - The Royal Marines Charity. Along the way, many of his former colleagues and local cold water swimming clubs will be joining him.

Tim Crossin, who describes himself as '1 Old Commando', has survived cancer three times in the last six years and his latest hopes of remission have just been dashed – but he’s determined to battle on.

His 'Cold Dip Commando Challenge' covers a 2,800-mile route, split into three legs around the UK coastline, starting in Poole on January 1 and taking in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, before a final dip on January 31 back at Poole.

He will be in Morecambe on January 11.

Tim, 59, from Poole, is completing the initiative to raise funds for RMA - The Royal Marines Charity, Lymphoma Action and Rock 2 Recovery.

Tim has beaten three Lymphoma cancers in the last four years. He has just been diagnosed with a fourth cancer.

He is fundraising through a series of extreme cold water dips due to his consultant vetoing anything more physically strenuous due to his ongoing recovery programme.

Tim will pull on his trunks and have a swim, no matter what the temperature, weather or sea state, and a large following has already grown with some locations having 50 to 100 people joining in.

Tim has backing from friend and former Royal Marine Commando, Special Forces operator and TV personality Steve ‘Titch’ Cormack from BBC’s programme Speed Shop, and other TV and sporting celebrities.

Tim, who runs a Personal Protection, Security and Survival project focusing on ‘female self-defences’ through his company Esparta Ltd, said: “As a former Royal Marine, I’d like to be running up a mountain, naked, with a fridge on my back or swimming the Channel dragging a piano or something else mad and extreme, but all the chemotherapy has severely damaged my lungs limiting my physical capability.

"Although I can’t swim for long I thought I could raise some money and awareness by doing short swims around the country every day in January.

“Cancer can, if you let it, take over your life and become the only topic of conversation. I decided to change the narrative as well as do something good and to give back.

“The cold water takes your mind off your problems, focus you thoughts on that exact moment, I have found it extremely beneficial in dealing with the emotional and physical challenges and demands of living with cancer.

“It’s quite a challenge and I know there are many veterans, serving personnel, swimming groups and the general public round the country who will take the plunge with me and enjoy a hot drink and chat afterwards.

The support of the communities I visit will be key to this initiative.”

All the dates and locations can be found at www.colddipcommando.com

Donations can be made via https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/colddipcommando