MOVING lorries has proved difficult for many recently but an Evesham man is taking on the ultimate challenge for charity – pulling an 8.5 tonne truck.

Inspired by a cancer scare of his own and family and friends suffering from the disease, Mark Bond, a 51-year-old valet, has decided to pull an 8.5 tonne truck 25 metres to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

It has ended up being more complicated than he had bargained for, involving weight gain as well as an intense regime alongside friend and personal trainer Ben Goss ahead of the big day on Saturday, December 4. He is making a start by pulling two vehicles with a combined weight of 5.5 tonnes.

In the meantime, Mr Bond is hoping to attract an army of sponsors through his JustGiving page which currently has a little over £300 committed from 18 supporters.

“I had a scare myself and my mum is just getting over her second bout of cancer,” said Mr Bond.

“Other family members and friends have died of cancer and I got talking to a work colleague and he lost his mum and dad to cancer.

“I just wanted to do something to try to get some money and see whether they can help people.”

“I have known Ben for quite a few years, we have done some training together, and I said to him that I fancied doing something that is well outside my comfort zone and that I hadn’t tried before and never even thought of before.

“I came up with a truck pull. He said it would be a heck of a challenge but he has stuck by me and been at my side with it all.

“It has been much more challenging than I thought it would be. A lot of people think you just strap yourself in and pull it but no, it is not like that at all.

“You need to do a lot of gym work to get the strength and the body weight – I have put on nearly a stone and I still have more to go – to make a start and be able to get the lorry going.”