RUNNING 250km through blistering heat and blazing sunshine sounds like most people’s idea of a living hell.

But for one north Hampshire man it was a euphoric, life-changing experience.

Dogmersfield resident Richard Revell took on the challenge of a lifetime at the six-day Marathon des Sables, which winds through the sweltering Sahara desert for six days, and raised £150,000 doing it.

The training itself was gruelling – running after work and waking up at 5am on weekends to run marathons – but the event itself was something else.

Mr Revell, who finished 264th, said: “The marathon is an individual journey of humility, solidarity, respect, and humanity.

“I never dreamed I would do it but the biggest take away I had was that it’s amazing what individuals can do if they set their mind to it.

“At the end it was total exhaustion and total elation. It was very emotional for many of us.”

The event was founded in 1986 by Patrick Bauer, a French concert promo-ter who trekked 200 miles through the desert in 1984.

It has grown and more than 1,000 runners travel to Africa each year to take part, with Moroccan athlete Lahcen Ahansal winning on no fewer than 10 occasions.

Unsurprisingly, 51-year-old Mr Revell said that the toughest section was day four – a gruelling 92km stage which took him 17 painful hours to complete.

The finance worker admitted that the only thing that kept him running across sand dunes as dark fell was the thought of support he had received and the causes he was raising money for.

Inspired by his godson, who suffers from a serious illness, he decided to back the Rainbow Trust and PWSA charities, and has raised an incredible amount of money.

Mr Revell said: “To raise £150,000 is just staggering really, but they are such good causes that it touched a nerve with people.

“It’s not just the money but the amount of people who went to the trouble – it’s very moving.”

To donate via Mr Revell visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichardRevell.