TURNING 40 has proved the toughest of challenges for a Kendal man who has completed a torturous triathlon in celebration of his birthday.

Determined to make his milestone memorable and raise money for charity, Paul Clavey, of Castle Garth, embarked upon a 43-hour adventure that saw him swim, cycle and run across miles of the Lake District's forbidding terrain.

After representing Great Britain in two triathlons in Mexico and New Zealand in 2003/04 and completing the first UK Ironman challenge in Dorset two years ago, Mr Clavey, a woodland officer for United Utilities, decided it was time for a personal challenge.

Mr Clavey began the epic Lakeland Triathlon Challenge with a five-and-a-half mile swim through a choppy Coniston Water,then he cycled the legendary 114-mile Fred Whitton round taking in all of the Lake District's major road passes. Finally, he embarked on the Bob Graham running round of 42 peaks in 24 hours.

"The idea started as a rather less than conventional way of celebrating my 40th birthday year with the aim of gathering as many friends and family as possible to help. And to make all the pain and suffering worthwhile, I wanted to raise as much money as I could for my chosen charity, Water Aid," said an exhausted by totally fulfilled Mr Clavey afterwards.

See August 3 Westmorland Gazette for full story.