Former Royal Marine attempting world's longest triathlon - all the way to the top of Mount Everest

• Hear from Mitch Hutchcraft as he prepares for his epic challenge

A former Royal Marine is planning to take on "the world's longest triathlon" - swimming from Dover and then cycling, trekking and climbing to the summit of Mount Everest.

In what he says would be a world first, Mitch Hutchcraft, 31, from Cambridgeshire is planning to swim 34km across the English channel, then hop on a bike and cycle 10,000km from France to India.

He will then run and trek his way to Nepal - a further 1,300km - before attempting a climb of nearly 9,000 metres to the top of Mount Everest.

"I know my capabilities and I know that [it's possible] if you break it down and compartmentalise each section.

"So do not think of it as one gigantic mission - then it becomes very overwhelming, so I know breaking it down it will be realistic," he said.

Mr Hutchcraft has spent the last few months training in the Fenland town of Ramsey where he grew up.

He is aiming to raise money for a charity called SAVSIM which provides mental health support to military veterans and works in wildlife conservation.

Despite the huge task ahead of him he says the first section, the swimming, is the one he is most nervous about.

"Because it's the first obstacle and because it is the one with probably the most challenges with the temperature and the tides, that's probably the most daunting for me at the moment."

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