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Bramall paddles to the aid of NW Air Ambulance

Leading community regeneration specialist Bramall Construction North West is swapping bricks and mortar for paddles and water to help Granada TV presenter Paul Crone in his latest charity expedition!

Croney is attempting to cross the English Channel from Dover to Calais in a 17 ft sea kayak, braving the world's busiest shipping lane to raise money for the North West Air Ambulance (NWAA) service.

The fundraising extravaganza will take place between May 16 and 25 in an attempt to raise £20,000 for the NWAA, which relies on £10,000 per day to keep its lifesaving crews airborne.

And to help steer the 47-year-old Granada Reports funnyman through choppy waters, Salford-based Bramall Construction has become the main sponsor of the mammoth challenge.

Bramall are meeting all of the cost's which are necessary for Paul and his Granada colleague Doug Brown to organise and undertake the crossing.

Granada presenters Tony Morris and Lucy Meacock were present to steer Croney away from trouble during a photo-call at the Salford Watersports Centre at Salford Quays.

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Paul has already raised over £250,000 for charity through his various TV appeals and by running three London Marathons, but this is his stiffest challenge to date.

Paul said: " It could take up to nine hours to get from England to France and I could encounter seasickness, extreme exhaustion and severe cramp, but I've been training hard.

"Without Bramall Construction's sponsorship, this trip would simply not have been possible, and the company has been amazingly supportive and generous. I can't thank them enough."

The aim is to raise £20,000 for the NWAA, which needs £3.9 million each year to keep its two emergency helicopters in the air and save lives.

Paul and Doug will set off from Shakespeare Beach in Dover and head across the busy English Channel, paddling for twenty five miles and eight or nine hours in the hope of reaching Cap Gris Nez on the coast of France .

The pair will have a professional support boat alongside them to guide them through the tricky shipping lanes of the Channel.

Paul Hughes, Bramall Construction Area Director, said "We are delighted to be supporting Paul Crone as he embarks on this epic challenge and we wish him a huge amount of luck and success as he prepares to set sail in May.

"Like Paul we are passionate about the NWAA and the great work that it does towards saving peoples lives."

Paul and Doug have been training hard on the region's canals, rivers, and the Dee Estuary and out on the Mersey to build up their stamina and fitness for the epic trip.