Desert next for the rainforest runner!

DEPUTY head teacher Steve Hill and his Year 6 class who have raised £5,000 for charity

MOST people would put their feet up after completing a gruelling 142-mile ultra marathon in the Amazon Rainforest.

But just 11 weeks after crossing the finishing line in Peru, teacher Steve Hill will be on the start line of the Petra Desert Marathon in Jordan ­- albeit minus a few toe nails.

The deputy head at St Joseph's RC Primary School in Shaw has secured a late entry for the 26.2 miler on August 26 which is billed as one of the toughest desert marathons.

"I could have taken it easy over the summer, rested up and given my body time to recover from the extreme conditions and exertion of Amazon Jungle Ultra but I don't like to sit still for too long," said Mr Hill who has completed a range of extreme charity challenges from the North Pole marathon to climbing Mont Blanc.

"The opportunity to take part in the Petra Desert Marathon came up and as I'm always telling the children at school, if an adventure is offered you grab it with both hands as it may never happen again."

Mr Hill, who was awarded the MBE in 2015, dealt with 35C temperatures and 100 per cent humidity in the the five-day Amazon challenge. His feet "were a mess" after his shoes ripped early on ­- he used zip ties to keep them together ­- and his body was covered with more than 100 mosquito bites.

But he said: "Despite losing a number of toenails, I feel fully rested. I feel that my body has recovered enough to take on this extreme desert marathon and I've been out running each day.

"It'll be extremely tough with temperatures reaching over 40C but as always I'm up for it!

"It'll also be amazing to have the opportunity to see Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and to share the experience with pupils in September."

Mr Hill is raising money for Dr Kershaw's Hospice in Royton, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Parkinson's UK and Chernobyl Children's Lifeline.