Shropshire friends raise £78,000 by running 10 marathons in 10 days in Sierra Leone

The men ran a route from Sierra Leone’s northern border with Guinea across 260 miles southwest and ended on the coast just south of the capital, Freetown.

The group named the challenge, which is akin to running on a treadmill in a sauna for 10 days, Sierra260.

The total elevation gain took the group higher than the Mount Everest Base Camp.

The group battled dense mountainous rainforests, dirt tracks, river crossings, 90 per cent humidity, 35 degree heat and scorching sun.

Among the group were Todd Langford Archer, 26, from Shrewsbury; Hugo Tapp, 28, from Ludlow; Ed Thompson, 26, from Bridgnorth, and Jack Wrigley, 26, from Ludlow.

The group completed the challenge to raise awareness and funds for charities.

They raised £78,369.23, but aimed to raise £100,000 for charities Mind and Street Child, so will be holding further fundraising events over the coming months.

Sierra Leone has had a difficult past following years of civil war and in 2015 was hit by an ebola epidemic that claimed 4,000 lives and orphaned more than 12,000 children. Although now ebola free, the legacy of the virus is still felt.

Street Child works to build schools, trains teachers, connects orphaned or abandoned children with families and gives parents in poverty business grants. The charity started in Sierra Leone in 2008 and has since helped more than 60,000 children.

Mind is a mental health charity which gives support and advice to those experiencing mental health problems.

If you are interested in supporting Sierra260, visit sierra260.com