A SALISBURY woman has been running a marathon a month for charity as she gears up for one of the toughest challenges in the world - the Marathon des Sables.

Mandy Davin has already run marathons in Brighton, Liverpool, Reading, Bath and finally the Salisbury 54321 from April to August.

She has so far raised £500 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Headway, the Brain Injury Charity.

The final three marathons that she plans on doing will be Montreal, Bournemouth and finally finishing with a marathon in London in November.

That will all be training compared to the Marathon des Sables, which is a 251km ultramarathon across the Sahara desert in Morocco that takes place in February.

The challenge will see her tackle extreme 50 degree heat, dehydration and exhaustion in a race which has claimed the lives of two competitors.

Throughout the duration of the race she will also be expected to carry her own kit, weighing 10kg, including her food and water supplies.

To sponsor her visit unfit2ultra.com.