Buxton women with a combined aged of 120 swam 24km with Finnish president and a packet of fudge

Judith Bradford-Knox and her friend Jenny Cropper just finished a 24 km swim in Finland.

The duo say they were the oldest pair swimming with a combined age of 120.

Judith said: “It was truly fantastic and I’m so glad I did it.”

This was Judith's longest outdoor swim she has ever taken part in but did it as her friend suggested it and it looked nice.

The 58-year-old from Palace Road said she and Jenny, 62, once signed up for a 4km swim in Albania as it looked like it had nice views.

“My husband said it was a very long way to go for a 4km swim but we still went and had a great time.”

The swim, which was not a race and not a competitively timed event, saw the pair swim through wild Finland in five and a half hours.

“Oh it was beautiful,” said Judith.

“The river was so clean, there’s no litter anywhere.

“Even in the parks and woods there are no bins as they don’t need them as everyone takes their litter with them.

“We saw reindeer and other people said they spotted bears too - it was just lovely.”

The swim was 3km from the Russia border but there was no trouble or worry about being that close to a country in conflict.

Judith said: “We were swimming and there was a man, an older chap but still very fit and athletic looking, who had a very expensive made to measure wetsuit on and another man swimming on a paddleboard with him.

“We didn’t know at the time but that was the Finnish President who was taking part and we swam part of the way with him and his security team.”

Judith, who normally does her outdoor swims with Alan Theyer from the Thomas Theyer Foundation, said to stay energised for the swim her and Jenny were eating fudge while they were going down the river.

“You have a toe float that goes behind you as you swim and in it we kept our phones, jelly babies and a packet of fudge to keep us going.”

Speaking about their ages Judith said: “I’m a bit of a feminist and it’s nice to be doing something and representing older women.

“Showing other people what is possible and that age really is just a number.

“I will not be defined as an old person now I’m nearly 60.

“If I want to do something I’m going to find a way to do it and enjoy it.”

Judith says that has no plans for such a long swim again but is looking at swimming from the Isle of White across the Solent to Portsmouth.

She added: “I love outdoor swimming and as long as people are doing it safely and not taking risks I think people should give it a go - yes it’s cold and it was very cold in Finland - but you come out after a swim and feel great.”