FAMILY and friends are rallying around a five-year-old boy who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy to raise money to fight the condition.

William Taylor lives near Crooklands with sister Bethany, seven, and parents Sue and Sam.

The youngster, of St Patrick's School at Endmoor, was diagnosed with the muscle-wasting disease in June 2014.

More than £3,000 has already been donated to Muscular Dystrophy UK after Sue and two of her friends - Katy Hall and Michelle Sanday - completed the Great North Run in September last year.

In August this year, Sam and a group of friends will attempt to cycle from John O'Groats to Lands End in eight days, in the "Where there's a Will there's a way" bike challenge, and aim to raise a further £5,000.

To support the challenge, staff at the Furness Building Society branch in Kendal, where Sue and Sam have set up a trust fund for William, took on a Cyclethon challenge on Saturday.

They pedalled 120km - the distance from the Kendal branch to the Furness Head Office in Barrow, and back - on an exercise bike inside the branch.

Not to be outdone, Bethany and William are taking on their own bike challenge this weekend.

With a small group of their friends and parents, they will cycle from their school in Endmoor to Glasson Dock in Lancaster, a distance of 42 km over two days.

They plan to arrive at Glasson Dock on Sunday afternoon to coincide with a fun day to celebrate the official opening of the Sustrans cycle route from Barrow to Lancaster.

Sam said: "Receiving the news about Will's condition last year was a massive shock, but we are finding that these challenges are a really positive way to inform people about Will, to raise awareness of Muscular Dystrophy, and to raise money that will fund research into treatments for the condition.

"There are big steps forward being made and the money that is donated will go to Muscular Dystrophy UK's Breakthrough Research Fund, which specifically funds these research projects."

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/wheretheresawill.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/pages/Where-theres-a-Will-theres-a-way/838862862835036.