A Norfolk company boss is tackling a gruelling "Ironman" triathlon in his 60th year - powered by personal motivations to raise money for a farming mental health charity.

David Horton-Fawkes will compete in the race in Copenhagen on Sunday, August 18, comprising a 2.4-mile swim, a 113-mile bike ride, and a full 26-mile marathon run.

He is chief executive of the AF Group, the UK's largest cooperative buying group for farmers, based at Honingham Thorpe, between Norwich and Dereham.

He has set a £10,000 fundraising target for YANA (You Are Not Alone), a Norfolk-based charity offering confidential mental health support and free counselling for people in farming and rural communities.

Mr Horton-Fawkes, who lives in Reepham, was inspired to support the charity due to his experiences in the farm sector and his own mental health struggles - which originally led him into triathlons, as physical exercise became a key part of his coping strategy.

"Sadly, most of us who work in farming will know of a family that has been devastated by suicide or struggling to cope with the effects of depression and anxiety," he said.

"YANA has helped people I know, and it is no exaggeration to say that YANA has saved the lives of some of our members [at AF Group]. It is literally a lifeline.

"I have some personal experience of this because, 20 years ago, I stopped functioning at work and was forced to take time off, despite appearing outwardly capable until the day I couldn’t go on.

"I was able to recover because my employer gave me time to get better, but I was out of action for nearly a year.

"I learned to manage without medication through a routine of rigorous exercise, which is how I got into triathlon. The episode took a heavy toll on my family, and it never goes away - but I’ve learned to control it.

"This is my means of managing my mental health. If I don't get exercise regularly I will go into a decline, so there is a direct correlation between my ability to function and my exercise."

Mr Horton-Fawkes, previously director of the Holkham Estate in north Norfolk, has completed two previous Ironman triathlons, but this is his first for eight years.

He has been training for eight months, for as much as two hours per day - including 4am runs during the winter which he admitted "aren’t much fun".

"I am 60 now - it is a milestone I don't want, so this is shaking a fist at being 60," he added.

To donate, visit David Horton-Fawkes' JustGiving page at https://tinyurl.com/mvptnkd8.

YANA’s confidential helpline can be contacted on 0300 323 0400, or via yanahelp.org or helpline@yanahelp.org.