Intrepid Stuart Foulstone of Devizes will take part in a white water raft challenge to raise money for Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

Mr Foulstone, 45, used to be in the RAF and did parachute jumps and kayaking, but extreme white water rafting on the Zambezi River in Africa is not something he has done before.

He said: “I did white water rafting in New Zealand for a day nine years ago but I have not rafted on the scale I will be on the Zambezi.

“It’s a different ball game altogether. The rapids to be encountered are all grade four and five – grade six is unrunnable. It’s going to be interesting, exciting, scary and thrilling.”

Mr Foulstone, a civil engineering consultant of Roundway Village, will join a few other people from the UK for the challenge in September.

It will involve four days of white water rafting over 100 miles in temperatures of up to 40 degrees celsius.

At night they will camp at the side of the river and will have to look out for crocodiles, hippos and bull sharks.

The married father of three’s company, Oakleaf Management (UK), is sponsoring the trip so all the money he raises will go to Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

He said: “Where I live I see the air ambulance flying over my house all the time. I have heard how it has saved somebody who has had a heart attack and it operates one hundred per cent through charitable donations.

“You never know when you might need it. Wouldn’t it be a tragedy if it didn’t fly when somebody needed it and they die as a consequence?”

Mr Foulstone hopes to raise £1,000 for the air ambulance. Donate online at www.justgiving.com/stuart-foulstone