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Ex-daily news editor pens biography of record-breaking swimmer

Lucy WoodA biography of a record-breaking swimmer who became the fastest woman to cross the English Channel has been written by a daily’s former news editor.

Lucy Wood, who worked as news editor at the Grimsby Telegraph until last year, has penned Blonde In Deep Water about Brenda Fisher.

Brenda became world-famous when she achieved the feat in 1951, which she undertook in memory of her brother Buster, an RAF pilot shot down and killed in Germany during the Second World War.

As well as speaking to Brenda, now 88, Lucy used a wealth of material from her former employer’s archives to write the book.

She told the paper: “I’ve had unlimited access to Brenda and her archive, and it’s been an absolute privilege to write.

“She has achieved some amazing feats during her sporting career which deserve to be recognised, and I hope this book brings her story to new generations of people, particularly Grimbarians (people from Grimsby) who may not know that they have a genuine superstar living in their midst!

“When she brought home her trophy for the 1951 swim, a staggering 60,000 people lined the streets of Grimsby and Cleethorpes to greet her. Even along the train route from London, people ran along station platforms as her train went by to catch a glimpse of her.

“Her achievement really captured people’s attention and there was huge excitement. Brenda is quite a shy person, so I can only imagine how she felt going out onto the balcony at Grimsby Town Hall to face the 20,000-strong crowd in the square below who had turned out just to see her.

Because of her fame, Brenda also met Elvis Presley and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, as well as becoming a pin-up girl for 7 Up lemonade.

Lucy added: “Even now, so many people remember her name, and for those who don’t recognise it, I hope they will read about her with pride. Brenda was, and still is, a Grimsby legend.”

Lucy, 35, worked at the Telegraph from the age of 19 until she left in 2014 to pursue a career in PR.

She said: “The Telegraph was the one newspaper with Brenda every step of the way – and sometimes with her every mile she swam.

“A Telegraph photographer went on the support boat for a gruelling 12 hours while Brenda swam the Channel, and got pictures of the race finish before any of the national newspapers.

“It also followed her public appearances, such as when she shared a stage with Gracie Fields at the Royal Variety Performance, and, of course, they captured those amazing scenes of the crowds at her homecoming.

“This coverage, alongside Brenda’s personal archive, has combined to make not only a heart-warming and humbling memoir, but a permanent record of a woman whose achievements absolutely deserve to be celebrated.”

Blonde In Deep Water, priced £7.99, is available by phoning Pete Winchester on 01472 823638 or 07999 727906.

2 comments

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  • August 14, 2015 at 9:38 am
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    Pens biography? Quite apart from how probable it is that the author used a keyboard, let’s see a journalism website stop using such hackneyed tabloidese.

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  • August 14, 2015 at 3:22 pm
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    Some papers I saw recently had mentions of a court “caging” an offender, and “boffins” being called out by a fire service to look at chemicals found.
    Firefighters etc are often described as “racing” to answer a call.

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