St Helens personal trainer taking on Everest base for the Steve Prescott Foundation

Mark Hunt, from Garswood, has worked as a personal trainer in St Helens for the past 15 years, developing his client base with people across the community, including Saints players and local charities.

After admiring rugby league legend Steve Prescott from the stands, Mark said he only understood the magnitude of the man, his story, and the Foundation after training his widow Linzi.

Mark and his team for this years 10k

Training Linzi for her own charity challenges up Everest base and Mount Kilimanjaro over the years, the pair have become good friends and Mark has taken on multiple challenges for the Foundation.

Despite having a "hatred" of running, Mark has organised groups of his family, friends and clients to run the St Helens 10k over the past few years, raising thousands of pounds in the process.

Taking the challenge to the next level and ticking off a "bucket list" dream, Mark will join Linzi, her son Koby and the rest of the Foundation's team up to the Everest base's 5,600m summit in October.

Kobi and Linzi Prescott

Mark, 47, said: "It was a bit of a difficult decision for me as I'm self-employed and will have to take two and a weeks off work, and I've never been away from my two kids and partner for that long.

"But it's something I've always wanted to do and I think I'd always regret it if I didn't do it."

Explaining how Linzi and Steve's story "really moved" him, the Everest challenge is the latest in Mark's eight-year association with the Steve Foundation Foundation.

He plans to hold a fundraiser event later in the year to help him raise money for the challenge, with hopes to include entertainment and auctioned prizes.

Mark has been personal training in St Helens for 15 years

Thinking about recording a video diary of his two-week trip, Mark added:

"I've done the 10ks for a few years and have competed in bodybuilding competitions before, but this is something completely new for me.

"I'm all for these sorts of things and it is a kind-of bucket list thing to check off.

"I try to set an example to my two boys that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything, so this is a perfect opportunity for me to show them that."