A GREENOCK mum whose daughter suffers from a rare disorder has has set herself a charity triathlon challenge to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Shelagh McKay Jones is hoping to achieve three different challenges before her birthday on November 29.

She is aiming to be able to swim 50 lengths in 50 minutes, write 50 songs and to knit or crochet 50 items for a national 'Big Knit'.

Shelagh is using her challenges as a way of raising awareness of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and hyper-mobility spectrum disorder (EDS and HSD) and collecting money for charity in this field, as well as a homeless aid organisation.

Her 23-year-old daughter Joe-Anna McKay was diagnosed with the condition last year after suffering agonising pain since childhood.

Last year Shelagh raised £1,795 for the charity and now she's aiming to try and raise another £1,000.

Inspired by her daughter, Shelagh decided she would attempt a swimming challenge.

She said: “One of the things that helps my daughter is swimming - the water supports her joints allowing her to exercise better.

“We have been going swimming and I noticed that I was managing to swim for longer and was getting faster each time we went.

"I wondered if I could swim 50 lengths in 50 minutes and I have been going at it for a few months now.

“I hope to achieve 50 lengths in 50 minutes by the time I turn 50.”

Shelagh, an award-winning singer, will also try to complete a catalogue of 50 songs before her birthday.

She said: “When I set myself this challenge in January I had already written 16 songs that were completely my own work.

“I am now working to reach my target with 28 songs currently written.”

The money raised from both those challenges will go to Ehlers-Danlos Support UK.

Shelagh also decided to fundraise for homeless charity Cyrenians by making 50 small items for the Big Knit, which takes place at a festival in November 2-4.

She told the Tele: “I wanted to do something positive to mark my 50th and show that 50 is not old.

"Every day is another opportunity to be the best you can be and I believe I can complete these tasks by the time I turn 50.”

Shelagh has set up a JustGiving page with links to the various challenges and donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/teams/WeeShelaghs50thTriathlon