AN intrepid team of five pushed their bodies to the limit to complete an ultra triathlon to raise money for a project to support orphaned and abandoned youngsters in Bulgaria.

The team — Okehampton College teachers Neil Sproats, 41, and Rob Kelly, 34, House of Rachel founder and director Andrew Morgan, 51, and his son Rhys, 27, and civil servant Wayne Vincent, 52 — set themselves the challenging ultra triathlon at the end of last month from Street in Somerset to Okehampton to raise funds for the ongoing work of the House of Rachel charity.

The ultra triathlon included a 5-mile kayak on Glastonbury Canal, a 7-mile run to Bridgwater, a 13-mile kayak on the Bridgwater/Taunton Canal, a 13-mile run to Grand Western Canal, a 12-mile kayak on the Grand Western Canal, finishing with a 30-mile cycle to Okehampton.

The team completed the challenge in around 17 and a half hours, setting off at midnight, with a minor change to the schedule.

Andrew said: 'It was gruelling and each of us hit "the wall" at some point but pushed through and made it to the end.

'On the first leg, while kayaking, we were attacked by swans at regular intervals. We also had a few problems getting the kayaks out of the water, up a steep bank, across a field and over a stream and to the first transition stage.

'As a result, we started the second leg one and a half hours behind schedule. The second leg, running, went well although one runner had to phone the support crew at one point to check directions!

'Dawn broke during the third leg and brought with it a thick mist and very low temperatures, but this made us paddle harder to keep warm and reach the end.

'For the fourth leg, our checkpoint got moved from the 6-mile mark to 8-miles which proved a psychological blow initially. The final four mile stretch of this leg was probably the hardest of the whole course.

'We were behind schedule for the fifth leg, so a decision was made to cycle the next kayak leg, increasing the cycle distance from 30-miles to 41-miles. This put us back on schedule and eventually we arrived back in Okehampton to a reception of friends and family who were waiting at Okehampton Baptist Church.

'The team was exhausted but jubilant to have completed such an extraordinary challenge.'

The final figure is yet to be confirmed but it is hoped to be in excess of £800.

The team expressed thanks to their support crew who drove around the course setting up check points and transition points and to Okehampton Glass for the loan of a van to carry the bikes, kayaks and various kit.

The House of Rachel charity has a number of ongoing projects to help youngsters forced to leave orphanages in Bulgaria at 18 with no home, no family, money or a job.

It aims to improve their chances of breaking the poverty cycle and improve their future opportunities.

For more information visit the website http://www.houseofrachel.org">www.houseofrachel.org