A VET is hoping to raise £1,500 to help purchase a specially trained dog for an autistic child.

Ben Gansa, who runs Cotswold Vets in Cirencester, will be taking part in a half ironman on Sunday, June 10 starting at Lake 32 in Ashton Keynes.

An half ironman involves a half mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile half marathon run.

Down Ampney based fundraising group DAFFERS are hosting a handful of events to raise £9,000 to purchase a trained dog seven year old Eddie Wheeler who suffers from severe autism and anxiety and could make dramatic changes to his family life.

Ben, 33 said: "I wanted a charitable reason to do something so I got in touch with DAFFERS and went from there.

"I have been training for over six months now and when I signed up, I had never done any competitive swimming or any form of duathlon/triathlon before so this is well out-with my comfort zone.

"Training's been going good. I've been taking swimming lessons. I've got a young family, small business and I'm doing a post-graduate degree in Endoscopy so it's been difficult to juggle it all."

"I've already raised £650 online and £320 offline so hopefully by the time I've done it I'd have raised the £1,500 needed to reach the £9,000 target.

To make a donation, visit Ben's fundraising page justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bengamsa.