Uplifting news: Back garden triathlon raises NHS money, while museums get creepy

An amateur athlete completed a triathlon in his back garden to raise money for charity, while museums around the world are comparing some of their creepiest objects.

Here’s a look at some of Monday’s more uplifting stories which you might have missed.

– Amateur athlete completes triathlon in back garden

An amateur athlete has raised nearly £9,000 for charity by completing a half-Ironman triathlon in his back garden.

Neil Clark, a 51-year-old IT consultant from London, undertook an Ironman 70.3, which traditionally includes a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile cycle and a run of 13.1 miles to raise money for NHS Charities Together and the British Red Cross.

To complete it without leaving his back garden on Sunday, Mr Clark cycled on a static bike, swam in a three-metre pool while tethered to his house via an elastic waistband and ran 1,700 laps of his lawn.

After completing the triathlon in seven hours, 22 minutes and 25 seconds, Mr Clark told PA: “Everybody wants to contribute to do something. We’ve seen all these key workers going out putting themselves at risk.”

– Miniature donkey available to hire for video calls

A miniature donkey named Mambo is getting some online love in North Carolina, where a farm is getting in on the idea of having animals spice up tedious virtual meetings during the coronavirus pandemic.

Peace N Peas Farm will rent Mambo, the eight-year-old miniature donkey, and his friends to crash company conference calls, The Charlotte Observer reported.

This camera-crowding donkey is “like a pesky little brother” that “doesn’t let anyone relax too long”, his owner Francie Dunlap said.

Companies can invite other animals from the farm as guests on their video calls, including horses, chickens and ducks.

– Museums celebrate their creepiest objects

Curators at a UK museum which is home to a 2,000-year-old bun of real hair have launched a search for the world’s creepiest objects.

Yorkshire Museum, in York, has been inundated with weird and horrible objects from around the globe after putting out the call on social media.

Museums and museum visitors have submitted their own favourite curiosities, including a taxidermy mermaid, Victorian crab claws playing cards and cursed children’s toys.

– JLS announce free concert for NHS ‘health heroes’

JLS have announced a free performance for the “health heroes” of the NHS as part of their comeback tour.

The boy band – Aston Merrygold, Oritse Williams, Marvin Humes and JB Gill – will host a matinee concert on Saturday November 28 at the Birmingham Resorts World Arena.