By Frankie Barron

A teacher has been taking on some gruelling physical challenges in memory of a pupil.

Mark Salmon, Assistant Vice Principal and teacher at the Wey Valley Academy in Weymouth, is also a trustee of The Will Mackaness Trust and completed the triathlon to raise funds for the charity.

The Academy set up the trust in 2008, in memory of pupil Will Mackaness, who died of cancer.

The Trust aims to provide young people in Weymouth and Portland with the chance to learn watersports, from swimming to windsurfing.

This year Mr Salmon, 46, has taken part in many challenges, with the most recent being ‘The Brutal Extreme Triathlon’ in North Wales, which was voted the world’s toughest Ironman by '220 Triathlon' in 2016.

He faced a 10,000ft elevation on a mountain marathon which reached the summit of Snowdon, a 3.8km lake swim and a 120-mile cycle ride all in one day.

Mr Salmon said: “The Trust is very important to us and the school as Will was passionate about water sports and helping young people.

"We found that some young people in the local area could not access water sports because they could not swim 25 metres or they could not afford the fees. We thought Will would be pleased that he is helping young people from all over Weymouth and Portland learn to swim and access all sorts of watersports.”

Mr Salmon's partner, Pam Govier, who is Will's mother and Head of Languages at Wey Valley, watched the triathlon with dog Poppy.

She said: “I am always amazed by the challenges Mark sets for himself, as I could never even contemplate embarking on any of them.

"It is made all the more special because the money he raises goes to The Will Mackaness Trust. Will loved sports and was a permanent fixture in the PE department in Year 11, his dream was to become a PE teacher.”

Mr Salmon also took part in the Dart 10k and the Weymouth Ironman at the weekend.

To donate visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=MarkSalmoncoldswim&pageUrl=4