FOUR military personnel - including a man from the Bradford district - are pushing their bodies to the limits with a major fundraising challenge. 

RAF Corporal Gary Binns, from the Cross Roads area of Haworth, and his team are currently rowing across the Atlantic Ocean to raise funds for five charities.

The other men taking part in the mammoth task are Sergeant Phil Angus, Sergeant Dan Martin and Corporal Justin Wallace. 

Their team name is Atlantic Rocks and they are taking part in the C-Map Atlantic Dash 2024.

The big-hearted fundraisers departed Playa Blanca in Lanzarote on January 3 to embark on the 3,200-mile challenge. 

Their journey is expected to take around 45 days to complete, eventually arriving at Jolly Harbour, Antigua.

So far, they have raised more than £12,000 through their JustGiving page, which can be accessed at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/atlantic-rocks-1

Sponsorship money will be split equally between the Veterans Charity, the Centurion Fund, Tough Enough to Care, SSAFA (the armed forces charity) and Mental Health Research UK.

'Failure is not an option'

Gary has served with the RAF since 2003. 

He has completed various operational tours, in both Iraq and Afghanistan. 

He is currently based at RAF Halton, where he helps recruits who have not met RAF standards get up to speed and back into regular training. 

His chosen charity is the Veterans Charity, which helps ex-service personnel. 

Gary said: "The reason for taking part in the Atlantic Dash is to push my body to boundaries it's never been through before. 

"There's no turning back once we set off - failure is not an option.

"This will test my mental and physical capabilities to some very dark places and one which I will tackle through adversity. 

"I work better when I am part of a team and, with my experience having led RAF personnel on operations, I intend to use that knowledge to get the best out of our crew and make sure we are all working together."

The team's JustGiving pages states: "Taking part in this challenge will not only require an insane level of physical fitness and endurance, but an extremely high level of mental resilience and a constant will to succeed in this unknown and arduous environment. 

"We truly believe overcoming challenges throughout life, whether it be a physical or mental challenges, enhances you as an individual and allows you to grow as a person.

The men are posting regular updates on their progress on their Facebook page - simply search for 'Atlantic Rocks'.