'I wanted a challenge to celebrate reaching 30'

Adam Ball, from South Shields, is undertaking a challenge that will see him swim all 13 publicly accessible lakes in the Lake District, and be the first person with cystic fibrosis to do so.

Diagnosed with CF at six weeks old, Adam's parents were told the average life expectancy for someone with the condition was 30.

Adam celebrated his 30th birthday in January.

"When I reached 30 and felt in sort of peak fitness, peak health, on top of all my cystic fibrosis, I thought I really want to do a challenge to celebrate that," he explained.

The condition affects his ability to breathe but swimming, Adam says, mimics one of his treatments and enables him to breathe easier.

"I wanted to do something that would be a pretty badass challenge, irrespective of having CF or not."

The challenge will see Mr Ball swim a total of 71km (44 miles) while raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Video produced by Alex Challies.

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