A US endurance swimmer has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times without stopping.

Sarah Thomas refuelled only on a liquid formula during the 54-hour swim.

The 37-year-old woman from Colorado performed her record-breaking swim a year after receiving treatment for breast cancer, dedicating her achievement to fellow cancer survivors.

She came ashore on a beach near Dover on Tuesday morning, exhausted and with a sore throat from all the salt water.

“I was really just pretty numb,” she told the BBC. ”There were a lot of people on the beach to meet me and wish me well. That was really nice of them, but I feel just mostly stunned right now, I just can’t believe we did it.”

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In theory, the route that Ms Thomas swam should have been 80 miles long, but due to strong currents in the Channel she swam 130 miles instead.

She said she saw lots of fish and jellyfish along the way.

Previously, four swimmers had crossed the water between England and France three times without stopping.

Ms Thomas consumed only a liquid diet during her swim.

Her support crew, following her in a boat, would throw her a bottle containing a mix of carbohydrates, electrolytes and some caffeine, with a little apple juice to improve the flavour.

Upon arrival, she tried to celebrate with champagne but found it did not go down well. She did manage to eat some M&M chocolates.

“Hopefully I can sleep the rest of the day. I’m pretty out of it and pretty tired right now, for sure,” she said.