AN Acton man who this time last year was unable to walk unaided will be overcoming all odds to take part in a triathlon this weekend.

Matt Dumbleton was serving in the parachute regiment of the army when he had an accident that left him with unable to walk.

He said fighting back with exercise enabled him to overcome the hardest time of his life.

“One day I realised, life is too short,” he said. “You have to grab hold of it before it passes you by.”

He started with aqua-therapy classes and slowly progressed to walking with crutches for five years, before eventually starting to run.

Now he will push himself to the limit to complete the AJ Bell London Triathlon so that he can raise money for Macmillan, after losing three friends to cancer in January of this year.

He is training seven days a week at Everyone Active Acton Centre, operated in partnership with Ealing Council.

Mr Dumbleton said: “Everyone Active have been so supportive of my mission, I wouldn’t have been able to do this without them.”

Luke Charlton, general manager of the centre, said: “Everyone Active are happy to be supporting Matt on his mission to raise money for Macmillan. His determination and incredible progress in such a short amount of time have been truly inspirational.”

It is expected that 13,000 entrants will take on what is tipped to be the world’s largest triathlon, which begins at the Excel Centre in the Royal Victoria Dock and passes through Canary Wharf.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “A triathlon is a challenge for anyone, but Matt is showing that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to, overcoming such adversity.

“We wish him every success in raising as much money as possible for a cause that is close to so many hearts."

Donations can be made at www.virginmoneygiving.com/MattDumbleton