A FORMER student of Okehampton Community College has recently completed a gruelling endurance challenge — the Ironman Bolton UK.

Peter Cooper, 23, had to swim 2.4-miles, cycle 112-miles and then run 26.2-miles before the cut off time of 17 hours.

He completed this massive challenge in 14 hours 47 minutes 41 seconds to become an Ironman.

Starting at 6am in pouring rain for the swim in choppy water at Pennington Flash, the rain eased off for the cycle ride which took the riders over a challenging course, including the infamous two-mile pull up Sheephouse Lane twice to finish at Bolton Wanderers FC stadium.

The second transition was the lowest point for Peter, being surrounded by exhausted tri-athletes with a marathon still to run, but once into his running clothes he set off strongly to run the final 26.2-miles – further than he had ever run before.

There was no let up here with more hills to climb before finally reaching the finish — draped in his beloved Doncaster Rovers flag — to an emotional finish.

Friends and family were gathered among the huge crowds loudly cheering the finishers in as the announcer declared ‘Peter Cooper — you are an Ironman’.

He was running for the charity Scope and raised £1,000. This included donations from collecting boxes at Okehampton Hardware Shop and Cost-cutter.

Peter is grateful to these stores and to everyone who helped him to achieve his fundraising target.