A kickboxing champion is attempting to complete a marathon while pulling a 1.25-tonne aeroplane for charity.

Carl Thomas, 35, from Stockport, started dragging the Cessna up and down the airfield at Elvington, near York, on Wednesday evening, reaching a top speed of around 2mph.

He is raising £250,000 for Ollie’s Army, a charity that supports a family who have two children with Batten’s disease.

Before the attempt, Mr Thomas said: “You cannot really train for this, but I have been pulling my car up and down in an empty car park.

“I’ve got to do it in 24 hours so I cannot take a break, I’ll not be sleeping so I will be pretty rough.”

Mr Thomas had hoped to use a lighter plane, but that became unavailable so he has had to use a 1,250kg Cessna, completing two-mile loops of the airfield without any assistance at the turns.

He said: “I’ll have a crazy level of exhaustion, but I’ve got a good support team and they will keep me going.”

Mr Thomas is undertaking 10 charity challenges and hopes to raise £1 million over 10 years.

He has previously run 10 marathons in 10 days and cycled 1,500 miles in 10 days.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/carl-thomas?utm_term=gWEeZd83D&fbclid=IwAR1x9vJhV75Fn69Gi4Ud5uCOQHK9JeFs3Q6sxo8ZNl8tG8lIBV54aT4ufMQ