An interpid trio of friends is set to tackle the 'Everest of open-water swimming' by crossing from Europe to Africa via the 22km-wide Straits of Gibraltar.

Lennard Lee, Harry Fisher and Nicholas Berry were inspired by comedian David Walliams and Olympian James Cracknell to do something only 185 people have ever completed.

But unlike the celebrity duo, who achieved the feat in March, the pals will not be using wetsuits to stave off the effects of cold water during their six-hour swim in early July.

Mr Lee, a 24-year-old medical student, decided to take on the challenge after meeting Mr Fisher, 20, and Mr Berry, 22, in the Oxford University swimming team.

The 100m butterfly specialist said: "I suggested it and roped the other two into it.

"I had seen David Walliams do it in March and thought it was something we could try to do.

"It is widely regarded as the Everest of open-water swimming, but we thought if David Walliams can do it, so can we.

"He used wetsuits, which keep you warm and raise you up in the water, but we will be doing it in just a pair of trunks, goggles and a hat - the traditional way."

Mr Lee swam the English Channel in nine hours and 45 minutes in 2004, but Mr Berry is normally a 400m front-crawl competitor and Mr Fisher a 100m backstroke specialist.

The swimmers currently train five times a week at the university and will take part in cold-water training camps in Dover and Portsmouth nearer the big day.

However, Mr Lee admitted no amount of swimming in England would prepare the team for the sharks, ships and strong currents they will face as they swim from Gibraltar to Morocco.

He said: "The main problem is the water will be colder than a swimming pool and fatigue will be a problem too, as we will have to keep going at quite a pace for five or six hours.

"The other things we need to be wary about are the sharks and also the ships - it is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world."

The expedition is being supported by the Close and Marrache Bank, which has funded a support boat. The aim is to raise £1,500 for the Variety Club of Great Britain charity.

The friends will fly out to Gibraltar on July 4 and will have a week-long 'window' to make the crossing.