Horwich'S Nick Marr is part of a North-west team taking part in the gruelling 230-mile Western Isles Challenge.

This relay race goes over three days, across some of the UK's most inhospitable terrain on what was known as the Outer Hebrides.

Nick, aged 34, the regional director of Fairbridge - a national charity working with disadvantaged young people - has joined three colleagues (one a woman) to raise funds and to promote the charity's work.

His wife, freelance journalist CLAIRE GILLMAN, left, who is in touch with the team, here sends an up-to-the-minute report on their progress. YESTERDAY the Fairbridge Team opened their bid to win the Western Isles Challenge, a three day team endurance event that crosses the 230 mile length of the Outer Hebrides using only human power.

The first day was extremely tough. The weather had turned colder which made canoeing and swimming that much harder, but at least it was still clear, which made navigating easier for the running and mountain biking section.

Nick Marr, from Horwich, successfully completed the fell run over Ben Mhor, the second highest mountain on Uist, in two hours, but the boggy terrain made the going very tough. On the mountain biking section, he had to carry the bike a lot of the way.

"At the moment, the team is living off a diet of bananas and cheese sandwiches," said Nick. "We are in pretty good spirits but it's hard going. This is a tough country and each leg is extremely testing." Not only is this a physically challenging event, but it is also tactical. The Fairbridge Team opted to complete a sea swim which earned them extra points, but, since it was time consuming, they may incur time penalty points at the end of the event.

The competition includes a large representation of military teams, some professional athletes and a couple of all-women teams. After a night of preparation, and well deserved rest under canvas, the Fairbridge Team threw themselves back into the fray this morning, with a tough canoeing section and some of the roughest terrain of the Outer Hebrides.

Tomorrow the race finishes in Lewis. Watch out for a report on how the team fares in the final stages of the toughest endurance event in Britain.

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