Swim pair are a civic splash hit

Sisters who raised over £23,000 for charities by swimming the equivalent of the English Channel at a Borehamwood pool were among those honoured for their contributions to the community at Hertsmere Council’s civic dinner on Saturday.

Dani Jacobson arranged the swim to mark her batmitzvah — and to thank organisations which had supported her elder sister Talya, who suffers from cerebral palsy.

Dani was subsequently invited to a Buckingham Palace Garden party to mark Blue Peter’s 50th birthday where she met the Queen and received a jubilee edition of the famous Blue Peter badge.

The sisters also became the faces of a 12-week local swimming challenge in aid of Aspire, supporting those with spinal cord injuries.