Angus teen in a whirl after conquering Corryvreckan swim challenge

A teenager from Carnoustie has become the youngest person to swim across the world’s third largest whirlpool

Matthew Michie, 15, was part of a group which swam across the Gulf of Corryvreckan, between the islands of Jura and Scarba, off Scotland’s west coast.

The whirlpool is so treacherous that there is just a 45 minute window each day when the tides are suitable to make a crossing.

At times the whirlpool can reach speeds of 16 miles an hour enough to drag down a boat. Matthew completed the 1.5km open water swim on Saturday afternoon in 25 minutes.

The Carnoustie High pupil contacted Guinness World Records in the hope of being officially recognised as the youngest swimmer to complete the crossing, but they enforce a minimum age limit of 16 for endurance feats of this nature.

Matthew previously completed the Dundee bridge to bridge swim in 2012, aged just 13.