COMPLETING a half marathon at the age of 70 would be a challenge for even the fittest athlete.

But one Blackwood man has decided to make that challenge even harder, by tackling the 13.5 mile race in three feet of water.

In less than a month’s time, Mike Davies, 69, will attempt a half marathon in the swimming pool at Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre to raise money for Latch - the children’s cancer charity based at the Children's Hospital for Wales.

Mr Davies and his running partner Allan Eliot, 56, will walk or run 1,750 lengths of the swimming pool - a feat which they estimate will take them between 10 to 12 hours.

The men, who are both members of New Tredegar Nomads Cycling Club, decided to take on the challenge after a friend’s five-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer.

The two grandfathers helped raise £3,000 for Latch last year by cycling from Anglesey to Cardiff, but decided they still wanted to do more.

Mr Davies, a former miner at the Markham and Merthyr Vale collieries who turns 70 on May 2, said: ŅI wanted to do something for charity again, and I don’t think anyone’s ever done this before. So I thought let’s do it!'

The pair both keep fit with cycling, swimming and running, but so far they have only done two miles in the water. That took them an hour and a half.

To support Mr Davies and Mr Elliot, visit www.justgiving.com/michael-davies.