Two men from Suffolk are set to complete a 225k run while wearing weights on their ankles and torso amounting to 26 kilograms.

Owen Thom, 43, and Rob Taylor, 45, from Ipswich are set to undertake this huge challenge, which will see them go from London to Birmingham along the Grand Union Canal, a distance of 140 miles, the equivalent of around five and a half marathons.

They will be doing all this, while wearing a vest weighing 20 kilograms and a three kilogram weight on each ankle.

Mr Thom said: "It was basically a mad idea that I came up with a while ago.

"We could have done it without weights, but that's been done before.

"We wanted to do something quite unique, and immediately once we tell people what we are doing, they tell us we're all mad in a good way, but then they realise how amazing it us because of what we are doing it for."

They are undertaking this huge challenge to raise money for MATES, a mental health charity, and Macmillan Cancer Support.

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Owen and Rob met through their PT, Tom Birch, 34, who is Rob's nephew, and in 2019, Tom's older brother and Rob's nephew Lee took his own life after suffering from mental health issues.

Ipswich Star: Owen, Tom and Rob. Credit: Owen ThomOwen, Tom and Rob. Credit: Owen Thom (Image: Owen Thom)

Mr Thom said: "This sort of thing can bring about such a positive mental attitude, that if we can even get one person to get involved, whether it be running or volunteering, then it will be brilliant.

"Mental health is such a real thing, you don't know when someone is suffering, like Lee for example.

"We want people to be aware of it, we want people to talk about it, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

A GoFundMe page has been started to raise money for this "horrendous" challenge, and to read more on Owen, Rob and Tom, or to donate, click here.