A DAD-OF-THREE is set to take on the challenge of a lifetime in memory of his late father.

Mike Morley, 47, of Maldon Road, Colchester, has challenged himself to complete a triathlon in Cardiff, where he previously lived, to raise money for Bowel and Cancer Research.

And he isn’t doing it by halves.

Mike said he is putting his back into a charity fundraising event and had been working towards it for 18 months.

He said: “I wanted to lose weight, get fit and support a good cause.

“I’ve done bits and pieces of sport in the past – a few half-marathons fairly badly, a few sprint triathlons fairly badly.

“It was time to do things properly.”

Mike said the challenge was in honour of his dad Fred Morley who died of bowel cancer in 1999 when he was 67.

Mike said: “He would definitely be cheering me on if he were alive today. He loved sport.”

Since starting training in August, Mike has shed 2st 7lbs in weight and says he is now ready to take on the challenge which will see him swim 1,500m, cycle 40km and run 10km.

He has been swimming, cycling and running five days a week and has joined the gym.

He said: “I’m doing a distance that is bigger than any I have done before but I’m about where I was hoping to be, so I’m quietly confident."

The race will take place on Sunday and Mike will have his wife, Rachel, and their three sons, Finlay, eight, and four-year-old twins Samuel and Jacob, cheering him on.

His aim was to raise £500, and he has already beaten that target raising £590 on his fundraising page.

Mike said: “I’m very happy to have beaten the target with a couple of weeks to go, so anything more will be fantastic.”

Deborah Gilbert, chief executive of Bowel and Cancer Research thanked Mike for his support.

She said: “Our aim is to ensure that no-one should die of bowel cancer in the future and we can only achieve that with the help of our fantastic fundraisers.”

To donate to Mike’s fundraising campaign, visit bowelcancerresearch.org/fundraisers/mike-morleys-cardiff-triathlon-fundraising-page.