One member of the Lyme Regis RNLI crew is gearing up to take part in three gruelling fitness challenges this year. 

Matt Cridland is an Area Lifesaving Manager for the RNLI, covering West Dorset and the Channel Islands.

He will be running in the London marathon on April 23 which just happens to be his 53rd birthday, then there’s a London cycling event over a course of 100 miles on May 28th; in July he hopes to run in the 50k Exe Estuary Ultra; and finally, in September, he will be swimming two miles in the Serpentine lake.

Matt, who joined the RNLI as a volunteer at Weymouth 25 years ago, joined the staff in 2002 as an assessor/trainer in the south-west and in 2012 became the training manager at the RNLI college in Poole.

He said:”These events are certainly going to be a challenge for me. Over the years I have undertaken numerous tasks to raise money for the RNLI, but these are probably the toughest.

“I try to keep myself in shape and now I am running, swimming and cycling for my favourite charity.”

Donations for Matt’s various challenges can be made via his JustGiving page justgiving.com