Charles facing canal kayak marathon test

Sixty-three-year-old Charles Dugdale, of Padiham Road, is planning to start in Liverpool on July 29th and finish in Leeds within 10 days having completed a gruelling 127 miles and negotiating 93 locks.

Charles, who has worked as a fan blade polisher at Rolls-Royce in Barnoldswick for 28 years, is completing the charity challenge for a cause close to his heart, Cancer Research UK. He lost his eldest brother to the disease, his other brother has cancer and Charles is in the final stages of recovering from it.

Charles said: “It’s something I have been wanting to do for a while and I feel really strongly about the charity.

“It’s a daunting challenge but I’m really looking forward to it and I’m more determined than ever to do it.

“I just wanted to give something back for the treatment I have had and that that my brothers had. It started off as a bit of a joke. One of my friends at work is a long distance runner and is doing a canal run. I said I could canoe alongside and follow him and it’s gone from there. I’m learning with the Pendle Paddlers at Foulridge and will be completing the challenge in a sea kayak as it much more streamlined.

“In the second week of April I will be starting my training on the canal. Then I can start to get some distance in and get used to the kayak.

“At the moment I’m building my upper body strength in the gym on the rowing machine and I cycle a fair bit so I keep myself quite fit.

“But I know it is going to be tough to do which is why I’m allowing myself up to 10 days to do it because I don’t want to let anybody down. My friends and colleagues have been very supportive. I’ve already collected over £100 in donations.”

Go to https://www.justgiving.com/Charles-Dgdale to donate.