A HALSTEAD man has completed an eye-watering Man vs Mountain challenge, raising more than £700 for charity in the process.

Jim Spurgeon, 47, of Larks Rise ran 22 miles, including a vertical kilometre and a number of obstacles, in tricky conditions on Mount Snowden in five hours 36 minutes.

He chose two charities close to home, national Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and RETT UK, and believes raising money for charities close to his heart pulled him through the race.

Jim is running for the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society after his wife, Nicky, was diagnosed with the condition in 2015, and for RETT UK in support of his friend’s daughter, who suffers from Rett Syndrome.

Jim said: “The early part of the race was fairly straightforward road and footpath running.

“At about six miles we truly went off road trail running and the weather deteriorated, was up to about 2000ft by this point.

“Pushing on towards the summit I got cramp in my right calf at about 10 or 11 miles.

“It hurt going uphill but strangely was okay on flat and downhill sections.

“Our summit was a point about 500ft below the true summit, nothing spectacular just a turnaround point.”

Jim said the event, on September 3, took place in difficult conditions.

He added: “The weather was truly grim, it was like running along a stream on the descent.

“At about 19 miles it was time to ditch the backpack and tackle the vertical kilometre.

“Whoever thought of this is truly sadistic, this was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. “Then after that it was all downhill to the fun stuff.

“Quarry jump, abseil, two water crossings with inflatable obstacles, a water slide and finally a 25 metre swim across the river.

“Over a six foot wall, an A-frame to climb and then, boom, you’re finished. I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel proud to have done it for two great charities.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/ teams/JimMvM2016 to donate