A SOUTH Lakeland family are on countdown for an epic Coast to Coast Triathlon tomorrow and Saturday.

Eight-year-old Will Taylor, a pupil at St Patrick’s CE School, Endmoor, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy three years ago.

His mum and dad, Sam and Sue Taylor, have set up this weekend’s fundraiser to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy UK, and they have already raised more than £27,000.

Twenty-one solo participants and 12 teams are to embark on the 115-mile bike ride from Whitby to Windermere tomorrow (Friday), followed by Saturday’s mile-long open-water swim in Windermere and a 26-mile marathon run to Walney Island.

The bike route will follow the A684 into Kendal, and then Windermere Road and Crook Road towards the lake.

Riders are expected to be passing through Kendal in groups between 3.30pm and 6.30pm.

The swim starts early on Saturday morning at Tower Wood, and ends at YMCA Lakeside.

The run starts at 10am from Lakeside, and passes through Backbarrow, Haverthwaite, Greenodd, Ulverston, Bardsea, Gleaston, Leece and Roose before arriving at Walney Island.

The fundraising total has been boosted by local events, such as a car wash held by the Grange-over-Sands fire station crew with proceeds split between the Firefighters Charity and Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Will was on hand to help out with sponges and hosepipe.