A Tenby grandmother is undertaking a challenge to raise money for a charity that supports the families of babies born with a rare birth defect that leaves them unable to swallow.

Jane Sullivan is rowing 10k a day on the rowing machine over 10 days.

She explained: “A year ago my grandson, Austin, was born 6 weeks early and with a condition I’d never heard of - tracheo-oesophageal fistula or TOF for short. It was a traumatic time for the family.

“Our grandson had an operation when he was a few days old to join his oesophagus to his stomach so that he would be able to swallow his food.

“He was a little fighter and came home from hospital when he was about three weeks old. Feeding was difficult and slow. He had occasional ‘blue’ episodes when his trachea would close up and he couldn’t breathe.

Then at the age of six months, Austin was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital for major surgery to prevent further blue episodes.

Jane continued: “Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and is a beautiful little one-year-old with a cheeky smile and zest for life.

“The charity that helped us all to understand the condition and to reassure us when things looked bleak was TOFS. I’m doing this challenge to raise money so that they can keep helping other families with TOFS babies and children.

“I’ve had a great response and would like to thank my rowing friends at Tenby and Wiseman’s Bridge Rowing and my swimming friends from Tenby Dippers, for spreading the word and sponsoring me,” she added.

TOFS is dedicated to offering lifelong support to those born with Oesophageal Atresia and Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula.

For more information on how to donate, head to: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jane-sullivan-1