WOUNDED, injured and sick military personnel and veterans are celebrating after becoming the first disabled team to complete one of the world's toughest triathlons.

County Durham former paratrooper Dean Middleton said the serious brain injury he sustained while serving in Afghanistan in 2010 had been a blessing in disguise after leading the first Help for Heroes team to the end of the 300-mile Enduroman Arch to Arc challenge.

Members of the group, who use Phoenix House recovery centre in Catterick Garrison as part of their recovery, spent more than 18 hours braving jellyfish as they fought strong tides across the English Channel during the epic triathlon.

The other elements of the challenge, which has seen the group raise more than £11,000, included an 87-mile run from Marble Arch to Dover and a 181-mile bike ride from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe, Paris.

Lee Hurst, David Evans and Glenn Prosho, all from Darlington, along with Dean Middleton, from Seaham Harbour, County Durham, and Anna Pollock, from Catterick, were part of the 24-member team.

Standing under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris following three days and nights of running, cycling and swimming Mr Middleton, 30, said he was elated.

He said: "I am chuffed to bits, I have to keep pinching myself.

"Being here today is unimaginable, unbelievable.

"Being blown up in Afghanistan in 2010 has been the best thing to have happened to me.

"It has been a massive blessing in disguise, today doing stuff like this, working for Help for Heroes is living the dream.

"We fought and some of us nearly died for our countries, but I think it has been a blessing, it really has.

"I get more job satisfaction now than I did doing active service, being able to help publicise wounded and sick soldiers, rehabilitate and do massive achievements.

"Before being blown up I struggled to swim 25 metres, I scraped through my swim test and then I swam the Channel yesterday."

The group was split into four teams, the first of which, Team Inspire, arrived in Paris in 47 hours and 55 minutes having started the bike leg at 3.40am today (Sunday, September 27).

They were followed by Team Support, members of which said they were elated to have reached the landmark in 50 hours and four minutes.

Following the event, champion cyclist Mark Cavendish tweeted: "Our wounded never cease to inspire me."