A BOURNEMOUTH swimming teacher is swapping the pool for the sea for the British Heart Foundation’s Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim.

Rachael Potter, 31, was spurred on to sign up for the 1.4 mile challenge because she wanted to support the charity and the work of surgeons at Southampton General Hospital, who saved the life of her seven-year-old niece Amy.

The youngster was born with a heart condition called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) where her pulmonary artery, which carries blue (deoxygenated) blood from the right ventricle to the lungs was where the aorta, which carries carry red (oxygenated) blood from the left ventricle to the body, should be and vice versa.

For Amy this meant that red blood was being carried to her lungs and blue blood carried around her body.

Rachael, who lives in Branksome and teaches throughout the Bournemouth area with her private swimming school, said: “Seeing Amy turn blue when she was born was an extremely scary situation.

“She was rushed to Southampton General Hospital, operated on and kept in for two months.

Today Amy is full of life and, like me, she loves swimming. Without the wonderful work and research the BHF do and without Southampton Hospital Amy wouldn’t be here.

“I hope my pupils, friends, family and the Bournemouth public all help me raise vital funds for a charity that really does make a difference.”

The Bournemouth Pier to Pier swim takes place between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers on Sunday July 15, with 1,200 swimmers taking part.

Andrew Coles, regional event organiser for the BHF, said: “Rachael’s story shows how heart disease can affect all generations of a family and I hope this encourages others to sign up for the event to raise much- needed sponsorship.”

To support Rachael visit justgiving.com/rachael-potter26 To register for the swim visit bhf.org.uk/pier2pier, call 0800 169 3672 or email northwestwales@bhf.org.uk/ Participants are asked to raise a minimum of £100 and registration is £20 for adults and £10 for children.