Young kayaker attempts paddle from Henley to Windsor in memory of grandmother

A young kayaker was due to paddle 25 miles from Henley to Windsor on Thursday  in memory of his grandmother.

George Firth, 11, began kayaking last year and decided to undertake the trip to mark the first anniversary of the death of his grandmother, Tessa Johnstone-Maine.

All money raised from the youngster’s charity paddle will be donated to help fight multiple sclerosis (MS) which Tessa suffered from for more than 20 years.

George grew up watching his cousin, Olympic gold medallist Tim Brabants, excel in the water.

Since joining Marlow’s Longridge Activity Centre, the kayaker from Windsor has been starring against adults in competitive kayak races despite being diagnosed with brittle asthma two years ago.

George’s mother, Kathryn, said: “Looking at how he was a couple of years ago when he was gasping for breath, I think it’s just phenomenal how far he’s come.”