Electricity, water and fire are no obstacles!

Andy Penn, of Biggleswade and Tim Stephenson of Sandy will be among the group that hopes to complete the Tough Mudder challenge on Saturday, May 12.

The group arranged to take on the course through Facebook and are hoping to raise as much money as possible for Help for Heroes and cancer charity The Claire Stanley Trust.

Tough Mudder is a 12-mile long obstacle course designed by British special forces to test strength, spirit and mental grit.

As well as negiotiating electricity and fire-filled sections Andy, of Shortmead Street and Tim, who lives in Friars Walk, will be climbing 12ft high walls and passing through mud-filled tunnels.

Andy, 29, said: “We don’t know quite what to expect but we are looking forward to it – you do the course as a group and help each other out along the way.

“I used to be in the Army and I do miss some of the obstacle courses we used to do, and this is the closest I can get to that as a civvie!”

Andy, who used to live in Sandy and attended Sandy Upper School, is also pleased that the group can help out two good causes.

He added: “It’s great to support Help for Heroes of course and Claire Stanley is also somebody who we knew well before she tragically died of cancer.

“The Trust raises money in her memory so we will be getting a lot out of this.”

Joining Andy and Tim at the Boughton House and Estate in Kettering will be fellow participants Richard Owen, Richard Railton and Luke Niemiec.

The five have been going on regular runs and hill climbs in preparation for the event.

Andy said: “We are a relatively fit group but to be honest it can be difficult to prepare for something like this as it’s not like running a marathon or anything like that.

“The rules do state that you can skip the odd obstacle if you’re really not up to it though!”

To sponsor Andy see www.charitygiving.co.uk/andypenn