A surfer from Cornwall in the UK is planning to ride waves for 16 hours on the longest day of the year (June 21) to raise money for a mental health charity.

George Carpenter from Sennen Cove began the challenge at sunrise at 5:13 am today and hopes to still be in the waves as night falls around 9:30 pm.

The 21-year-old surf instructor was inspired to raise money for Cornwall MIND after losing a loved one to mental health issues in the last year.

He said family and friends will bring him food and drink throughout the day and he's also stuffed his wetsuit with energy bars.

21 year old local surfer George Carpenter is surfing from sunrise to sunset on the solstice day to raise money for mental health charity Cornwall MIND.

Having lost a loved one to mental health issues in the last year, he wanted to raise awareness of mental health as well as raise some money for the charity via his Just Giving page :

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sunrisesunsetsurf

Wearing two wetsuits to keep extra warm, he took his first wave with the sunrise at 5.13 am and will finish at about 9.30pm when the sun sets - about 16 hours later.

George works as a surf instructor at Sennen and will be giving his lessons from the water, while having food and water brought out to him by family, friends and work mates.