A teenager made history today by becoming the youngest girl ever to kayak across the English Channel.

Maia Wallace-Loizou, 13, from Petersfield Close in Upper Edmonton, paddled the 20 miles in just four hours and 15 minutes with 15-year-old Dylan Barber-May from Hackney.

For their efforts, the daring pair have raised more than £3,000 for Hackney-based charity Leaside Education Trust, which provides outdoor activities for disadvantaged and disabled young people.

After arriving in France this afternoon, Broomfield School student Maia said: “It was alright up until near the end but we kept going and luckily the sea was nice and still today.”

Dylan said: “I’m feeling good, fine. It was challenging - more mentally than physically but I enjoyed it and we did it.”

The money raised will be spent on buying more sports equipment for the youth charity.

To visit the pair's fundraising page, click here.