THREE veteran sportsmen born and bred in Blackbird Leys will take on a gruelling triathlon this weekend for charity.

Brothers Peter, Paul and Terry Brackett, who have a combined age of 167, will each complete a stretch of the 2015 London Triathlon on Saturday.

The trio are raising money for Gabriel Masih-Gill, a Headington teenager who needs £58,000 for an operation to help him walk unaided for the first time.

Paul Brackett, 56, of Thistle Drive, said: “We’ve always been sporty. Terry plays a lot of local football and is a top cyclist now and Peter was a champion sprinter in Oxford Town and Gown.”

Paul Brackett, a cleaner for Catalyst Housing with two children, added: “We are a real product of Blackbird Leys.

“We want to show our extended family all around the estate what you can do if you put your mind to it.”

The Brackett family first heard about Gabriel’s plight from a granddaughter.

They met with the 15-year-old for the first time on Monday and received his blessing.

Peter, of Amory Close, who will do the 5km sprint, said: “It was lovely meeting Gabriel. He’s a lovely young lad.”

Paul will swim 750m, 53-year-old Terry will cycle 20km and Peter will complete the race with a 5km run.

All money raised will help pay for 15-year-old Gabriel, who has cerebral palsy, to travel to Missouri in the United States for an operation .

People can donate by visting justgiving.com/paula-masih-gill1 or by texting XXTW48 followed by the amount they want to give to 70070.