FITNESS trainer Simon Ward will need all his powers of endurance next month when he swaps the relative cold of his native Horsforth for the heat of the Sahara Desert in memory of his mother.

Mr Ward will join 600 other runners in the 16th Desert Marathon - described as the toughest footrace on Earth - which will see him race 140 miles over six days in southern Morocco, enduring temperatures of more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the sun.

The 37-year-old hopes to raise more than £5,000 for St Michael's Hospice in Harrogate. His mother, Jan Ward, died last year after a long battle against cancer and her last three weeks were in the hospice.

Mr Ward, who runs 3-D Fitness in Horsforth, is a keen tri-athlete and provides training programmes for other athletes across the country.

But he is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task ahead, despite being involved in several international ironman challenges. "Everyone thinks I'm a lunatic for even attempting such a race," he said. "But if I can raise something for St Michael's Hospice in the process, then that at least makes more sense of it.

"The Marathon des Sables is a high endurance sporting event and I know how tough and gruelling this is going to be. You have to endure nightmare conditions with the heat and it's a real test of stamina.

"Due to the extreme heat and varied nature of the desert terrain, it's going to be very tough, so I'm training hard to prepare for the event.

Mr Ward said that he will be setting off for the expedition on Thursday, March 29.

Anyone who wants to support his fundraising quest can make a donation, however small, by sending a cheque made out to 'St Michael's Hospice Fundraising Account' and sending it to PO Box 114, Leeds LS19 6XU.