A TENACIOUS ten-year-old is taking on a solo triathlon to raise funds for a baby with a severely underdeveloped heart.

Lewis Dare, of Oakland Road, Dovercourt, has set himself a mission to complete a triathlon in aid of Jude Edwards who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

The nine-month-old, from Harwich, was born with the life-threatening condition which affects normal blood flow through his heart.

He had to spend the first six months of his life in the Royal Brompton Hospital, in London, to undergo major operations.

When Lewis was told about Jude coming out of hospital, he decided he wanted to fundraise the Royal Brompton Fountain, which supports very ill children in the care of the hospital.

To raise money, Lewis will be swimming 50 lengths, before drying off to cycle 10km and run 5km.

The swim will take place at Harwich and Dovercourt Swimming Pool and the cycle and run will be along Dovercourt seafront with his dad Dave cycling by his side.

Dave said Lewis, who attends Two Village Primary School, is aiming to raise £1,000.

He said: “To keep fit Lewis does football training and swims twice a week at part of the Harwich and Dovercourt Swimming Club. His swimming keeps improving and he is like a dolphin in the water.”

Last year Lewis raised £900 from swimming 40 lengths of a 25-metre pool then running 5km in a solo biathlon for the Sick Children’s Trust in the name of Ben Wickens, eight, who has a rare form of adult leukaemia.

This year Lewis wanted to help a local child and chose to fundraise for Jude and his family.

Lewis, who lives with his mum Vanessa, dad Dave, and sister Darcy, said: “It’s a good thing to do and it will help Jude’s family and the Royal Brompton Foundation to help parents of other sick children.

“I want to make Jude get better.”

Lewis’ solo triathlon is on Saturday, July 27 at 3pm.

To sponsor him visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jude-edwards.