Graeme Souness swims Channel to raise £1m for devastating skin disease

Football legend Graeme Souness said he was ‘whacked’ but ‘elated’ after swimming 21-miles across the English Channel for charity.

The 70-year-old was inspired to take on the challenge after meeting Isla Grist, 14, who suffers from rare skin disease Epidermolysis bullosa.

Souness completed the 21-mile swim through icy waters and darkness as part of a six-person relay team in 12 hours and 17 minutes.

The former Liverpool star who has undergone a triple heart bypass took part in the challenge, which included Isla’s father ​​Andy Grist, to raise money for DEBRA UK.

Souness is vice-president of the organisation, which supports people with the blistering skin condition, also known as butterfly skin.

The relay team set out from Dover around 9pm on Saturday and reached the French coast by lunchtime the following day.

Posting on Twitter, the charity offered its ‘huge congratulations’ to Souness and his fellow swimmers. The football pundit broke down in tears during a BBC interview as he called it ‘the cruellest disease out there’.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast ahead of taking on the gruelling test of endurance, the former Rangers and Scotland player, who lives in Dorset, described meeting Isla from the Scottish Highlands.

He choked back tears as he described her as ‘the most unique person I’ve ever met’.

“She does this to me every time. She’s an inspiration to me — even at my age,” he added.

Isla, from Black Isle, near Inverness, has had her condition since birth and has to be wrapped head to toe in bandages. These are changed three times a week in a procedure that is extremely painful.

Souness said he first became aware of the disease about five years ago. He said he had now become ‘mates’ with Isla, whose courage was an inspiration to him.

“This disease… it’s the cruellest, nastiest disease. For someone so young to be so brave… and Isla’s aware of the impact this has on her mum and dad and she helps them,” he said.

“This is a very special young lady you’re in the company of, she really is, and I am… she gets me in tears every time I’m in her company.”