A SQUAD of sportsmen past and present, businessmen, journalists and an actor from the Harry Potter films will set out on their mission to scale Mount Kilimanjaro and set a world record for playing the highest game of rugby league.

The squad of volunteers are raising funds and awareness for the Steve Prescott Foundation (SPF).

They include Adrian Morley of Salford Red Devils, and retired players Lee Briers, Barrie McDermott, Garreth Carvell, Chico Jackson, Mike Wainwright, Neil Harmon and Alan Hunte.

Referee Robert Hicks will be among the tour party and will take control of the fixture.

St Helens entrepreneurs Ian Pitts and Chris O'Dea will also be on board, as are Sky Sports Angela Powers, and BBC TV’s Beccy Meehan.

From the film world, the actor, Matthew Lewis, famous for his role as Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, is taking on the challenge.

In the spirit of Steve Prescott, the challenge is to climb the 19,341ft mountain in just six days instead of the standard nine.

After reaching the summit, the team will then mark out a full sized rugby pitch, erect two sets of inflatable rugby posts, and play a full game of rugby league.

Each climber aims to raise at least £4000 for the three charities of the SPF, the Christie Hospital, Try Assist and the Oxford Transplant Foundation.

Martin Blondel, general manager of the SPF, said: "It was Steve's wish to tackle Kilimanjaro! We are elated that we have so many personalities willing to carry Steve's name and legacy to the summit. And to have a world record attached to the SPF would be truly incredible and hopefully bring more awareness of the foundation to the masses."

The party will be led by SPF committee member Ade Cunliffe who was one of a party of twelve who climbed to the summit of Kilimanjaro, in 2013.