First woman to swim English channel to have Manchester street named after her

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A Manchester swimmer is to be immortalised in the name of the city’s newest road.

Sunny Lowry – the first woman to swim the channel – will be celebrated as part of major regeneration work taking place around Eastlands.

The Longsight -born athlete was chosen after a Dragons Den-style clash between five schools.

Teams from each tried to persuade a panel – featuring current and former Manchester City players, among others – to pick their chosen historical figure for the accolade.

Also put forward were international water polo player Billy Dean, Bradford Labour politician John Edward Sutton, children’s writer Frances Hodgson Burnett – author of The Secret Garden – and the late Monkees star Davy Jones.