Wiltshire’s Air Ambulance has received more than £25,000, thanks to the son of fundraiser Mary Howard, who completed the Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon in memory of his mother.

Jason Howard, 41, from Highworth, took part in the 57-mile feat of endurance after his mother died in a car crash last year on the A429, near Hullavington, despite being flown to hospital by air ambulance.

Mr Howard swam, climbed, kayaked and cycled around Loch Tay in Scotland.

He said: “After my mother died I decided I wanted to do something to raise money in her memory.

“I knew that the air ambulance was something very close to her heart and she was beginning to give money to it when she died.

“It is such a vital service which saves so many lives and I know it did its best to save my mum.

“It costs up to £1,000 each time it is called out so if I can help 25 people in bad situations then that is great.

“There are lots of big charities out there, all very worthwhile, with lots of people raising money for them – but I wanted to do something more local.”

Mr Howard completed the quadrathlon with three friends who helped him round the course.

He said: “We started by swimming a mile across Loch Tay, which was freezing at 5am. Then we walked and climbed across seven mountains, followed by a seven mile kayak into the wind. We finished it off with a 34-mile cycle ride.

“It was very good fun, I would recommend it to anyone interested in doing something crazy.”