A LAKE District World Record holder and has helped a nine-year-old in her epic adventure to 'make kids smile'.

Thomas Noblett, Langdale Chase Hotel’s managing director and keen open water swimmer, has donated £500 to youngster Niamh Barnsley-Ryan, who’s taking on a gruelling Land’s End to John O’Groats triathlon challenge to raise cash for kids’ charities.

Niamh, who's mum Rachel is a former Gazette reporter, was spurred on to do something big and chose the 874-mile adventure to help boost funds for her local park – Bay Cottage - after Lancaster City Council shut the gates because its coffers to maintain it ran dry.

The Carnforth Otter and City of Lancaster Triathlon junior hopes to secure £2,000 to buy a piece of disabled equipment for the park, so it is fun for all children, whatever their age or disability.

Niamh, who wants to be an athlete when she’s older, is also raising cash for Make-A-Wish Foundation, so that children with serious illnesses can be granted a magical wish.

“When I first heard about what Niamh was doing, I was just stunned”, said Mr Noblett.

“Not only is she doing an amazing distance for such a young girl, but she wants to do it to help others, which is just wonderful.”

Mr Noblett was part of the team of intrepid swimmers, who set a World Record on Windermere in 2011, for the longest fresh water swim.

They swam into the record books completing the marathon 126 miles in 75 hours 6 minutes 32 seconds.

But Mr Noblett says the training little Niamh is putting in beats his regime for his Windermere challenge and his Channel swim.

“With all the heavy training that I have done over the years and meeting the good and the great in the sporting world, I’ve never been so moved by someone showing so much determination, guts and fortitude that Niamh has."

Niamh will have to rack up 16 miles per week to hit her target distance within a year.

But having already swam, run and cycled more than 130 miles since she started on October 1, she is confident she can go the distance.

“It is hard work, but I’m really enjoying it,” said Niamh.

To donate to Niamh’s Tri4Kids challenge, visit her Facebook page www.facebook.com/tri4kids