Celebrations to mark Marlborough Bowls Club’s 80th anniversary get under way this Saturday with four members taking part in a bowlathalon.

The challenge was the brainchild of Alan Eyles who will be playing a ten-minute game on all 47 bowling greens in the county along with fellow members Nick Patterson and Alan and Jason White.

They will be joined by Ian James and Chris Simmons who will drive them to each destination stretching from Cricklade to Mere.

The day will start in at Marlborough Bowls Club at 5.20am and will finish back on home turf after 10pm.

As well as marking the club’s anniversary, the event will raise funds for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and the Wiltshire Bowls Association Benevolent Fund.

Mr Patterson said: “We are bonkers most definitely. It’s going to be a long day.

“It’s never been done before which is why we wanted to do it because we like to be a bit different and its raising money too which is great.”

The group have done a dummy run of the route and anticipate that the driving alone will take ten and a half hours.

Mr Patterson said: “The logistics of it is a nightmare but Alan has done a great job. Whether we can do it is another matter.

“The biggest problem will be getting into the clubs, all of them are on board but some of them will be closed when we arrive so its whether they can get someone to meet us there.

“We might end up in jail because we’re climbing over walls to get in.

“We did the dummy run so that all of the clubs would know approximately when we’re getting there and some of them will be handing over cheques for our fundraising.”

To sponsor the bowlathon see www.justgiving.co.uk/mbc80