A SCHOOLBOY from North Oxfordshire has set a world record after becoming the youngest person to windsurf across the English Channel and back again.

Dan Simpson, 15, battled against gusts of wind and the wash from huge container ships during the 22-mile crossing to France.

But when he eventually arrived on French soil, Dan decided to give the offer of a return ride in the support boat a miss and windsurfed back instead.

He said: "It was good. I was really pleased we managed to do it. It was awesome. On the way back it was really, really big sea huge swells."

As well as setting a new record, the trip also raised about £4,000 for the Oxford Children's Hospital campaign and the NSPCC.

Travelling at speeds up to 30mph, Dan made the initial trip from Dover to Calais in 79 minutes.

But there were no big celebrations for Dan, who made the trip with fellow teenage windsurfer Richard Jones, when he arrived back: "I had a kebab, does that count as a celebration?"

Now Dan, who is a member of the Oxford Sailing Club, is focusing on July's World Championships in Belgium, where he has come second in his category for the past two years.

Alison Barnes, communications manager for the Children's Hospital Campaign, said: "Dan and his friend are a fantastic example to other young people of what you can do with a great deal of determination, a small amount of luck and a sense of what it means to give something back to your community."