A COLLIERY worker raised more than £4,000 for charity by taking part in a gruelling five-day physical challenge across the Sahara desert.
Paul Rowan, 27, of Merlin Close, South Elmsall, who works for UK Coal at Kellingley Colliery, Knottingley, joined nine other employees in trekking, running and cycling 150k across the desert.
Mr Rowan and the team rose to the challenge to raise mo
ney for The Prince's Trust – a charity helping kids from a disadvantaged background.
The team managed to raise a total of more than £30,000.
Their journey began on May 3 at Boumalne Dades and finished in Marrakesh.
It involved mountain biking, trekking, running and navigating through the remote Jebel Sahro mountains of Morocco, across the northern frontier of the great Sahara.
Mr Rowan, who had to cope with extreme weather, said: "It was a brilliant experience and quite physically demanding. We were having to bike up mountain ranges and run up dried-up river beds.
"It was an amazing feeling and achievement. The fact we managed to raise a substantial amount of money is also great.
"We live in quite a deprived area and all the money raised will be distributed to organisations within our community."
Mr Rowan thanked everyone who sponsored him, including J J Leisure, of South Elmsall, who pledged £1,500 towards the cause.
Andy Bedford, manager of the business, said: "We believe in local people doing good things for good charities.
"We like to give something back."
