Members of a Hindu temple took the plunge and swam a combined distance of 15 miles.

The 14 strong team from Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury, took on the Great North Swim event in Lake Windermere, Lake District yesterday.

The swimmers, all in purple caps, managed to raise a total of £4,000 for St Luke’s Hospice, taking the total money raised by the temple in the last three months to £24,000, with more still to come.

Last month the temple had its community centre officially opened by Mayor of London Boris Johnson who was given a tour of the nearly completed Mandir.

The sponsored swim is just one several fundraising events organised by the temple in the build up to its official opening in August this year.

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