A man who recently passed Exmouth as he entered the third week of the Great British Swim has reported battling severe wetsuit chafing and disintegration of his tongue.

Exmouth Journal: Ross Edgeley. Picture by Harvey Gibson, the Redbull Content Pool.Ross Edgeley. Picture by Harvey Gibson, the Redbull Content Pool. (Image: Archant)

Setting off from Margate, on Friday, June 1, Ross had swam 200 nautical miles by the time he reached Exmouth last week.

But after three weeks in the water, Ross has shared some of the tough realities of the challenge, including severe wetsuit chafing around his neck and disintegration of his tongue.

In a video blog of his adventure, Ross describes the details of a ‘tough week’.

He said: “I can’t talk very well, eat very well, drink very well. My tongue has now fallen out with the salt water. I woke up this morning with chunks of my tongue on my pillow.”

Exmouth Journal: Ross Edgeley, as he takes on the Great British Swim. Picture by Harvey Gibson, the Redbull Content Pool.Ross Edgeley, as he takes on the Great British Swim. Picture by Harvey Gibson, the Redbull Content Pool. (Image: Archant)

Ross plans to swim the distance of 3,200km without setting foot on land, completing the equivalent of crossing the English Channel every 24 hours.