QUADRUPLE amputee Alex Lewis will attempt to travel 300km across Salisbury Plain on a custom-made hand-cycle in under 24 hours later this week in his toughest challenge yet.
The Le Mans style event, which gets underway at 10am on Friday, is part of a series of epic challenges to mark the ten-year anniversary since losing his limbs as a result of a Strep A infection.
Since then, the 43-year-old from Stockbridge has gone on to achieve some remarkable feats and helped various charities.
READ MORE: Strep A - Hampshire survivor sends message to parents
He cycled and climbed up Ethiopia's highest mountain, jumped 15,000ft out of an aeroplane and kayaked 200 miles through the icy waters of Greenland among other adventures.
His foundation The Alex Lewis Trust has provided hundreds of children with revolutionary prosthetics and is now setting up a scheme to help amputees in war-torn Ukraine following a visit with medics to deliver a message of hope to new amputees in Kyiv.
But Friday will see Alex, who collected a new sponsored high-spec Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line from the Peter Cooper Motor Group in Hedge End this week, take on his biggest challenge to date.
The 300km trek is in aid of The Murray Parish Trust, the Hampshire charity set up by actors James Murray and Sarah Parish to advance paediatric emergency medicine in Southampton following the loss of their eldest daughter Ella-Jayne.
Alex said: "This is by far the most physically demanding thing I've ever done.
"I think physically, I can survive it, but it's whether the bike can survive 24 hours of constant use and there are parts which will be really treacherous.
"It's way outside my comfort zone and it will be desperately hard.
"But we have some bright minds there to look after the bike. We'll be fuelled by gaffer tape, but we'll crack on and make it work."
Alex's 12-year-old son Sam and Jim from The Murray Parish Trust will be among the support team who will take on parts of the challenge.
It will be a 'test run' for the Pig 2 Pig challenge in June, covering over 1000 miles by bike and boat in aid of Hospitality Action.
To donate, visit givepenny.com/alexlewis_the_salisbury_300
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