MONMOUTH'S adventuring auctioneer is enjoying what he can of the spring sunshine, before

jetting off to Canada on Sunday (15th March) to take part in an Arctic ultra marathon.

Paul Fosh will be trekking 350 miles of Arctic wilderness in temperatures as low as -40° celsius to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

He has been training for more than a year for the Likeys 6633 Ultra 2015 Arctic Ultra marathon, including spending time in the freezer of Monmouth's Pasty Heaven, acclimatising his body to the freezing temperatures.

The father of four, pictured right with his Monmouth flag, aims to raise £15,000 for the charity, and has so far gathered £6,000.

In a final push to raise as much money as possible for the charity, Paul has pledged that his company, Paul Fosh Auctions, will match-fund any donations given in March – up to the value of £5,000.

A keen runner and sportsperson, Paul has run ultra marathons in the past, but is about to face his biggest challenge yet.

Organisers of this event, Likeys of Brecon, describe the

challenge as, "quite possibly the toughest, coldest and windiest extreme ultra marathon on the planet."

Paul will be one of 25 people taking part in the challenge which will see them cover 350 miles in the Yukon, northern Canada, to the banks of the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyaktuk almost entirely within the Arctic Circle.

The competitors will pull all the equipment they need behind them on a sled, or 'pulk', which Paul has been training with by walking fifty miles per day around Monmouth.

The event has been run on six occasions and in that time only eleven people have completed the 350 mile course.