The mother of two deaf boys has made a splash for a charity supporting young people with hearing difficulties.

Emma Tyreman, whose five-year-old sons Matthew and Joshua suffered hearing loss after being born prematurely, was joined by two other women for a sponsored swim in aid of Oxfordshire Deaf Children’s Society.

Mrs Tyreman, 41, from Abingdon Road, Oxford, her sister Heidi Lambeth, 38, and friend Helen Jacob, 35, swam a total of 3,300 metres between them at Blackbird Leys Swimming Pool in Cuddesdon Way on Saturday.

So far they have raised more than £300 for the cause.

Mrs Tyreman said: “I was asking for donations for the charity’s Christmas party and the manager at the pool suggested we could have the pool for a sponsored swim.

“We had an hour and we swam pretty much the whole time.

“It was completely exhausting, but we managed it.”

Matthew and Joshua are pupils at St Ebbe’s Primary School and both are learning to swim. Matt-hew takes part in group swimming lessons at Blackbird Leys, while Joshua has one-to-one classes at Temple Cowley Swimming Pool.

Their mother, however, had not swum for some time, so found the 1,000 metres she completed quite a test.

She said: “I hope it raises awareness as well as money.

“People associate deafness with older people, they don’t think about the children that suffer as well and how difficult it is for them.

“As a family we have received great support from the Oxfordshire Deaf Children’s Society over the last three years and I felt it was time we gave something back.”

Mark Lygo, Oxford City Council board member for parks and sport, urged people to sponsor Mrs Tyreman.

He said: “We are really glad to be supporting this event for such a good cause.”

To donate to the cause, email emmatyreman@yahoo.co.uk