Nottinghamshire doctor completes 'record' UK triathlon challenge

Meg Pragnell did the challenge in memory of her grandparents and to support the charities that helped them

A junior doctor believes she has set a new world record after completing a "bonkers" UK-wide triathlon.

Meg Pragnell, from West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, climbed the Three Peaks, swam England, Wales and Scotland's largest lakes and cycled between the three locations.

Dr Pragnell, who works in Derby, said the challenge had taken her 10 days to complete.

She is hoping Guinness will confirm it as a new world record.

Dr Pragnell praised the team who supported her, which included her mum and her boyfriend

She said: "I think adrenaline kept me going - it was as if I wasn't allowed to feel tired.

"The weather was wet, damp, cold and windy but the challenge itself went really smoothly.

"I had the most phenomenal team around me - my mum, my boyfriend Finn and our friend Chris, who helped keep me going along the way.

"As far as I know, nobody has ever done this challenge before but we are in touch with Guinness about it.

"I am over the moon to have done it and am almost sad it is over."

Dr Pragnell said the challenge had taken 10 days to complete

Dr Pragnell, 25, began the TriPeaks Challenge by climbing Ben Nevis, before cycling to Loch Lomond.

After swimming across the water, she cycled to Windermere - England's largest body of water - which she swam, before climbing Scafell Pike.

Finally, she swam across Wales's largest lake Llyn Tegid, before climbing Snowdon.

Dr Pragnell said she had never previously attempted a challenge on this scale

So far, Dr Pragnell has raised almost £5,000 for the Alzheimer's Society and St Michael's Hospice, in Hampshire, which cared for her grandfather.

"I've never attempted anything like this before," she said.

"I've done the odd triathlon but I've never attempted anything on this scale."

She was inspired to raise funds for the charities that cared for her grandparents

She said her grandad Rod - known as Pops - who had pancreatic cancer had received "phenomenal" care and she wanted to complete the challenge as a thank you.

"A year after we lost my grandad, my grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and the Alzheimer's Society has been a great support," she said.

"In the last few years, my family have become acutely aware of the wonderful work both these charities do and they both mean an enormous amount to me."

Hannah Godley, Alzheimer's Society community fundraiser for Nottinghamshire, said: "We are so grateful to Meg for her incredible support and dedication, challenging herself in a potentially world record breaking triathlon and raising much needed funds and awareness of dementia in the process."