Three friends have taken on the 'toughest race in the world' to help raise money for a children's charity.

Marc Couzins of Clitheroe was joined by Mark Atkinson and Luke Hubbard at the Marathon des Sables across Morocco and Sahara Desert in April.

They were raising money for the Together for Short Lives charity, which aims to support seriously ill children and their families so they can make the most of every moment they have together.

The Marathon Des Sables (MDS) took place at the end of April and comprises of six stages over seven days, with the first three daily stages around 20 to 25 miles each.

It is known as the 'toughest race in the world' with runners battling through extreme heat as well as mountanous terrain over long distances.

It requires participants to be self-sufficient which means carrying their own food for the duration of the run, along with sleeping bags and even a mandatory anti-venom kit.

The three are all ex-forces and now work together as Offshore Wind Turbine Technicians at Hornsea1 Wind Farm.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The three friends finally get a chance to rest following the gruelling race and are pictured with their medals

The trio managed to smash through the first three days relatively well, however the gruelling stage four stretch of 53 miles over mountainous desert was a different story.

Marc managed to make it to the finish line of that stage, taking him nearly 30 hours to complete and keeping him in the race ready for the next day's marathon stretch. 

Speaking over the weekend, Maxine Couzins, Marc's wife said: "They are running in temperatures of over 30 degrees during the day and enduring sandstorms through the night.

"These lads are not ultra athletes, they're three family men and veterans just wanting to make a difference for an amazing cause and to hopefully bring a bit of positivity and hope to people in these trying times."

Marc posted: "Thank you so much for the donations so far for this amazing charity, truly overwhelmed and we're really grateful for the messages of support."

They self funded their race entry fee along with all the equipment and insurance.

The challenge has raised more than £6,000 and it is hoped they will reach their £9,000 target soon.

You can still support Marc, Luke and Mark by clicking the link here