LONG distance swimmer Beth French has featured in an exhibition of 100 pioneering women of the 21st Century at London's Royal College of Art.

Beth, from Milverton who recovered from ME during her youth and is an ordained Buddhist nun, is included in the gallery of remarkable people as the first woman to swim from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly.

She has also completed a number of other marathon swims.

The decade-long project to capture the portraits of all the woman was undertaken by Wellington photographer Anita Corbin.

First Women UK also featured portraits from famous personalities from across the decades from the worlds of sport, media, the military, faith, business, arts, music.

Women included range from 70s rocker Suzi Quatro to poker star Victoria Coren-Mitchell, newscaster Angela Rippon to First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams to First Women UK patron Betty Boothroyd, Josie Rourke and Hilary Mantel.