A FORMER Dyson Perrins student is setting out on an extreme 860-mile race from John O’Groats to Lands End on Friday (April 22).

Michael Brown is one of seven competitors taking on the Ultra Race 9BAR JOGLE ULTRA event, which will see him tackling more than 55 miles a day for the next two weeks.

He is running to raise money and awareness for Project Mobility 4x4, which aims to assist amputee servicemen by fitting out Land Rovers for full amputee driving, enabling offroad and onroad driving experiences, expeditions and events.

Mr Brown, 46, is no stranger to tests of endurance, as he takes on 100-mile mountain marathons in his spare time and is currently ranked ninth in Europe.

However he says this latest undertaking will provide a “phenomenal challenge”.

“The training for this has had to be quite different to that which I would do for a 100-mile marathon,” he said. “It is competitive and hugely demanding. Last year 12 people entered the event, but only three finished.”

Although Mr Brown now lives in Sutton Coldfield, the Malvern Hills remain his favourite training spot.

“I think that one of the reasons I adapted so well to mountain and fell running was growing up in the shadow of the Malvern Hills,” he said. “I just could not stay off the hills. They are easy to get to and offer the ideal safe environment to train for that sort of event.”

To support Mr Brown’s challenge visit charitygiving.co.uk/michaelbrownjogle.