A MAN from York has completed the challenge of paddle boarding between two islands to fundraise for a charity supporting young people abroad.

Chris Macdonald, who has been involved in a range of paddle sports for the last 12 years, set himself the task of paddle boarding from Mallorca to Ibiza - which equates to 55 miles.

Chris said: "Open water crossings between islands and countries have always been my biggest attraction when it comes to challenging myself.

"I just find it really cool being that far out to sea with barely anything around."

After months of training, Chris set off from Mallorca in the early hours of August 5 - and around 15 hours and 25,000 paddles later on his Loco Surfing board, he reached the shores of Ibiza.

After watching a BBC documentary on a surfer called Jhonny Guerrero, Chris learned about the ALTO PERU charity - which supports kids involved in gangs, drugs and violence and provides them with the opportunity to surf, take part in other sports and help the get them involved with community projects.

Chris added: "I got in touch with the charity and decided to fundraise for them and have been invited to work with them once it’s safe to travel to Peru.

"Being involved with watersports most of my life I know first hand the mental and physical benefits sports can have on people - so this was a charity I truly believed in and they do literally save lives."

Chris has raised over £700 for the charity so far - and his donation page remains open. To access this, visit: https://bit.ly/3y361Qx

This isn't the first time Chris has taken on a task like this - having paddled across the English Channel four years ago - and he is now planning future adventures.