A CARLISLE firefighter is taking on a 'Miles of Memories' charity triathlon in memory of his nan.

Richie Hinson is a firefighter at Carlisle East Fire Station and throughout September he is taking on the gruelling triathlon which will see him swim 21 miles, cycle 980 miles, and run a further 120 miles.

Richie completed the swim, the equivalent of 1,360 lengths or the distance of the English Channel, at Haltwhistle Outdoor Swimming Pool on Monday, September 2, and is now preparing for his bike ride from Land's End to John O'Groats which begins on Saturday, September 7 and will take eight days to complete. 

The challenge will then be capped off by the long-distance run which will pass through Carlisle on the week starting Monday, September 16.

As part of the challenge, Richie, who is a fitness enthusiast, is raising money for Alzheimer's Society, a national charity that supports those living with dementia.

This is a charity close to Richie's heart after his nan battled the condition and now he is determined to give something back. 

He said: "I saw someone do this challenge back in 2012 and at the time I was quite into my triathlon and I thought it was a great challenge to do one day so the seed was planted then.

"Ultra running took over for a few years and I did a few challenges with just the running but last year I saw an opportunity to get this triathlon done this year.

"With my nan having dementia and seeing how she lost her memories in her later life, it made me want to make the most of the time I have got with my family and make as many good memories as I can.

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"Alzheimer's Society is a charity close to my heart and anything I can do to support them to do good things for other people and help people who are suffering with dementia and their families, I'll push myself through and do it."

Stuart Forrester is the crew manager at Carlisle East Fire Station and in the midst of Richie's 'Miles of Memories' triathlon, he expressed his pride in the local firefighter's dedication to raise 'vital funds' for charity.

He said: "We actively encourage our staff to undertake fitness and sport in their private lives in order to make sure they are capable of doing the job.

"Obviously, Richie takes this to the extreme, but we fully support him in this, especially when it is raising such vital funds for charity.

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"Richie is always setting himself goals and challenges, and recently he ran 100 miles in 24 hours, completing a lap of Bitts Park - on the hour, every hour, for 24 hours solid.

"He is one of the most determined and compassionate people we have ever had on shift, and we couldn’t be prouder of him, although we are all happy to purely assist in a supportive capacity for this particular challenge."

To date, Richie has raised over £2,300 through his JustGiving page, which you can find HERE.