The countdown is on to this weekend's Caldey-Tenby Open Water Swim.

A shoal of 50 swimmers will be making the 2.5 mile crossing from the monastic isle to the resort's North Beach on Sunday morning in the event, which is being organised by Tenby Sea Swimming Association (TSSA) and raising funds for the RNLI.

They will be striking out from Caldey's Priory Beach at 9.45 am, following a send-off from the commodore of Tenby Sailing Club, Mark Brace.

Swimmers will follow a route to the left of two orange marker buoys along the South Beach and Castle Beach and will make their way between the Sker rock and St. Catherine's Island before the finish by the blue flags on the North Beach.

There they will be greeted by the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, and the vice-chariman of Pembrokeshire County Council, Clr. Tom Richards, who will be presenting swimmers with special commemorative medals. The first swimmer should be back within the hour.

The event has been rearranged from July, when it was postponed because of weather conditions, and fingers are now crossed for a calm sea and light winds for Sunday.

Said TSSA chairman, Chris Osborne: "Excitement is mounting amongst the swimmers, a number of whom will also be taking part in Ironman Wales in Tenby the following weekend.

"We couldn't stage the event without the commitment of our swimmers, and our sponsors - Princes Gate Spring Water, McCarthy & Stone and Big Brum's - and also our very strong organising team.

"Swimming between Caldey and the mainland is a long-standing tradition in Tenby for individuals and small groups, but this is the first time that a large group has done the swim under the umbrella of TSSA.

"So this is very much a pilot swim for us, but if it proves successful, we hope it will become a bigger and better annual event."