THE intrepid manager of a Bromsgrove firm will take the plunge today and attempt to be the first man to swim two miles across one of Britain's most dangerous stretches of water.

Dean Sargeant, aged 38, will follow the old pre-bridge ferry crossing when he wades into the Severn estuary at Beachley slip, near the Severn bridge, to swim from the Welsh side to Aust in Gloucestershire.

The crossing is extremely dangerous as the estuary has the second highest tidal range in the world, is extremely fast flowing and the banks are deep mud.

Dean is doing the swim to raise cash for the Severn Area Rescue Association's (SARA) lifeboat station and also to get in trim for an arduous 'Ironman' fundraising event he is planning for next June in France, to raise cash for Cancer Research UK.

During today's swim Dean, who lives in Dudley and who is an engineering manager with Dynatherm on the Aston Fields industrial estate, will swim in a specially deigned wetsuit. He will be accompanied by members of SARA on board a support vessel. Dean said he believes the swim has never before been attempted.

He has been getting into shape by training most lunchtimes at the town's Dolphin Centre and also cycles to work.

Married, with a young son, Dean said: "All the staff at Dynatherm are supporting me and so far I have raised over £100." Anyone who wants to support Dean can contact him online at www.sealskin.net or e-mail sealskin@sealskin.net