Amazon marathons for man from Southend

31 May 2019, 06:43 | Updated: 31 May 2019, 06:46

A man from Southend is taking on a death-defying 143-mile (230km) charity run through the Amazon Rainforest.

Mental health campaigner Dan Furlong is raising funds for OCD sufferers.

The challenge will see the 36 year old run more than a marathon every day for five consecutive days, while also dealing with jungle weather conditions of extreme humidity.

He'll go through Peru's Manu National Park, an unspoiled mass of boiling jungle.

Dan said: "It's an environment where every plant and animal is built to survive and it will be a true test of my strength, fitness and perseverance. The driving force keeping me going will be how big a difference I can make for people with OCD."

Dan, founder of Male Anxiety Depression and Desert Chill, has struggled with OCD for more than 20 years and is now taking on the #Peru230 to raise vital funds for other sufferers. His initial target is£10,000.

The money he raises for the Peru challenge will go directly to OCD Action, a leading national charity for people affected by OCD. The condition affects around 1-2% of the UK population and is characterised by distressing intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours which severely impacts a person's ability to lead a normal life.

This is not the first time Dan has pushed the limits of his body and mind to raise money and awareness for others in need. In January 2018, he flew to Nepal to run 600km from Kathmandu to Surket, directly through the Himalayan Mountains, to support children at the Kopila Valley Children's Home. He successfully ran half marathon every day for 30 days and raised a staggering £73,000 for the children's home.