A fundraising page set up by tragic triathlete Paul Gallihawk has now generated more than £13,000.

Mr Gallihawk went missing after failing to emerge from a 750 metre swim during the Ocean Lake Triathlon, held at Leybourne Lakes on Saturday.

Police confirmed today a body has been found on Monday after three days of desperate searching.

Mr Gallihawk's family have paid tribute to a 'caring, genuinely funny man.'

Organisers raised the alarm after finding one bike remaining unsaddled after the swimming leg of the competition. The race was subsequently called off.

Mr Gallihawk, 34, who worked for a recruitment firm in Sevenoaks, was raising money for King’s College Hospital in London, and had set up a JustGiving page.

He urged his Facebook friends to donate, saying it was his first triathlon and adding the hospital had helped his father last year.

He had hoped to hit a £300 target, but donations had passed £400 by the start of the race.

On Tuesday morning his total reached more than £13,000.

Many people who pledged their cash also sent heartfelt messages hoping he would be found safe and well.

Giving £50, The Sams family wrote on his page: "Paul, you always had a smile and a laugh about everything, and a great teammate playing for Lenham. An absolute gent."

Others recalled working with him at the Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel 18 years ago, when it was known just as the Great Danes hotel.

An anonymous poster who gave £10, posted: "Tragic and sad, was racing on the day with Medway tri and it still seems unbelievable. The thoughts of so many in the triathlon community have been with everyone involved since it happened."

Many people had been praying for a positive outcome and yesterday organisers Ocean Lake Triathlon took to Facebook to express their shock and sadness at what happened.