A TEST of agility, endurance and mental and physical fitness will be facing participants of this year's 30-mile Chara Challenge next month, in a bid to raise thousands of pounds for injured service men and women.

The demanding task challenges people to run 15 or 30 miles across Dartmoor, carrying a weight of 32lbs (optional) in under ten hours.

The challenge aims to raise money for the Chara Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that raises money for small, specialised military charities.

Major in the Royal Marines Chris Paton, from Lamerton, is one of the founders of the Chara Foundation, and organiser of the event.

He said: 'We were out in Afghanistan for seven months on one of the big operations. While we were out there 37 servicemen were killed, 150 had life changing injuries and 330 were wounded.

'A colleague and I came up with the idea of the Chara Foundation while we were out there — we wanted to do something for the smaller, more focused charities.'

This will be the second Chara Challenge, with last year's raising £104,000. This year it will raise money for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA), the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund (RMCTF), British Limbless Ex-Serviceman's Association (BLESMA) and Combat Stress: The Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society.

The challenge, starting from the Okehampton Base Camp, will see participants running either 15 or 30 miles across Dartmoor National Park.

Chris said: 'The run is the last test you have to do to become a marine. The Royal Marines have to do it in under seven hours, but we've given people ten hours to do it in.

'We're going to try to do a number of mass participation events throughout the year, with the idea that we don't ask people to donate a lot of money but we get a lot of people to take part. My kids are doing the 15 mile run and they are only eight and ten.'

With 200 people already signed up, there are only 50 places left for the challenge on August 8 so people who want to take part must register as soon as possible.

Chris is also appealing for volunteers to help run the event: 'We need marshals at the checkpoints and we need 4x4 drivers on the day to drive across Dartmoor and help anyone who is injured.'

Anyone who is interested in taking part or volunteering can do so by visiting http://www.charachallenge">www.charachallenge

.com or www.

charafoundation.org

All entries and volunteers must get in touch by July 24.