Blind man to run desert marathon

Miles Hilton-Barber is raising money for the RNIB

A father-of-three is attempting to become the first blind man to run a 124-mile (200-kilometre) marathon across the Qatar Desert in the Middle East.

Miles Hilton-Barber, from Belper in Derbyshire, will be part of a five-man team carrying out the task in temperatures of up to 45C.

The group were due to set off on Tuesday and will not sleep for the two-and-a-half days the race is expected to take.

They will carry all their supplies in multi-terrain desert carts.

Miles Hilton-Barber, left, with sighted guide

Mr Hilton-Barber, who has already made an attempt to the South Pole, said: "This challenge will be immense and test us to the full.

"We will be dragging heavy multi-terrain desert carts behind us loaded with at least 50 litres of water per person, along with our high-energy food, equipment and emergency supplies."

Also taking part in the challenge will be:

• Major Jay Turner of the Royal Engineers, who organised the project
• Dr Mike Stroud, who completed the first unsupported crossing of Antarctica with Sir Ranulph Fiennes in 1993
• Rene Nevola, a research scientist specialising in areas of exercise, biomechanics and nutrition
• Steve Morris, who has served in the Royal Engineers for 22 years.

The trek will begin from the state of Qatar's most southerly border with Saudi Arabia and the five men will run continuously for an estimated 48 to 60 hours to the Arabian Gulf in Qatar's most northerly point.

There will also be a scientific aspect to the world record bid as each runner will wear a heart rate monitor.

And they will swallow a miniature radio transmitter capsule to record deep core body temperatures.

Mr Hilton-Barber has been sponsored for the run, and all funds raised will go towards the Royal National Institute for the Blind's support services.