Frank the tortoise joins in with Stand up to Cancer efforts after house fire nearly claimed his life

Frank the tortoise with Cleveleys branch manager Rachel Brown, and volunteers Linda Healey and Emily Foden.

Frank's owner Rachel Brown, manager of the store, and volunteers are raising money for Stand up to Cancer, an annual collaboration between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

The triathlon, which began on October 28, has included a walk from the Cleveleys Victoria Road West branch to the Blackpool branch on Talbot Road, a cycle on exercise bikes outside the Cleveleys store, and will finish with a swimming event.

The combined events will reach a total of just under 40 miles, with all donations going towards cancer research, and Frank will be doing his bit to raise funds as well.

Frank is also taking part in the fundraising triathlon.

Rachel said Frank was lucky to be alive after his heat lamp exploded and set her parent's house in Thornton on fire three years ago.

She said: "I bought Frank when he was 6 months old, then his heat lamp exploded 3 years ago and I thought he had died- he was literally on fire.

"My dad went in to rescue him, he is so lucky to be here, it took £4000 of surgery to remove his shell and reconstruct it after the fire.

"He's a member of the community in Cleveleys now, people come in every day asking to see him."

Frank often goes to work with Rachel, and she said he wanders around the store or sits in a pushchair made for dogs.

The tortoise has accompanied Rachel and volunteers on the walk between the Cancer Research stores, he supervised their cycle attempt, and is even expected to swim alongside Rachel in his own paddling pool as she completes her swimming lengths.

Donations are still being accepted, to show your support go to https://www.standuptocancer.org.uk/donate.