Twins hotfoot it across Kalahari! (From This Is Wiltshire)

Twins hotfoot it across Kalahari!

9:14am Thursday 10th April 2008

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TWINS from Warminster are about to embark on a record-breaking attempt to be the fastest to cross the Kalahari Desert on foot.

Toby and Harry Mossop, age 20, of Church Street, Warminster, will be embarking on the 645km trip with friends Robert Hemms, 21, from Bath and Alexander Budge, 20, from London.

Between June 16 and September 19 the team will drive the length of Africa in a Land Rover Defender. Their aim is to be the first team to cross the Kalahari desert on foot, running half a marathon each per day in blistering heats.

"We drove down to the western Sahara for something to do last year. On that trip we decided we wanted to do something bigger this year. We devised the idea of the Kalahari run just to try to raise money," said Harry.

"We will be starting in the north where temperatures are around 45-50 degrees. Ethiopia will be wet and muddy, then on to Kenya and Zimbabwe.

"Sudan will be quite impressive. Ethiopia and Kenya is where we are gearing up for the most so it is quite exciting. My mum's not too happy about it though."

The team have already raised more than half of the £18,000 that they need to be able to go on the trek and they are now hoping to raise another £30,000 to donate to charity.

Harry said: "We have a lot of work to do. We are doing a lot of fundraising. We will be staying in campsites and sleeping rough when we can. Otherwise we will be staying at contacts homes. We are probably going to run when it is dark or dusk."

The lads are preparing to do the charity trek in aid of Help for Heroes and the Tusk Trust.

Help the Heroes supports those serving in places like Iraq, which is where the boys are hoping to end up themselves, with plans to join the Army after university.

The Tusk Trust is a charity designed to help the conservation of African wildlife for future generations.

The twins have also taken part in the Great Russian Race which was six half marathons in six days, so they are no stranger to hard work.

All four are currently studying for degrees and are using their summer holidays to complete the trek, following which the twins and Alex plan to join the Army.

Rob is studying Middle Eastern Studies and Politics, Alex is studying East Asian and International Relations and Harry is studying International Relations at Leeds University.

Toby is currently studying History and Newcastle University. To sponsor the boys go online to www. justgiving.com/africandescent

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