FORTY-FOUR marathons in 44 countries in 44 consecutive days. This is the mammoth challenge a Bournemouth man has set himself to raise awareness of mental health issues.

Starting in St Petersburg, Russia, Peter Thompson, 32, will make his way across Europe to raise money for the charity Mind and the local charity Livability Holton Lee.

Starting on April 1, 2017, Peter will aim to include the London Marathon on April 23 before flying over to Lisbon, Portugal for marathon no.24.

Peter, who is among the top 100 marathon runners in the UK, said he was “quietly confident” in his ability to undertake the physical element of the challenge.

He explained the reasons for carrying out the feat.

“It is a way to challenge myself in a new way and use my running ability to try and make a positive difference. I’ve been inspired by people such as Eddie Izzard, Ben Smith, the man who conquered 401 marathons in 401 days, and Sarah Outen. Many others, through often less obvious actions or signs of strength, have also fuelled my desire to take on this challenge.”

He added: “I’m massively excited and scared by it all, but the support so far has been amazing.”

Peter said once he had come up with the idea of running across Europe, he had to work out if it was possible.

“The route itself will involve a mixture of trains, planes, buses, taxis, cars, and ferries and will span the entire continent of Europe,” he explained.

“There are many variables that I can’t control, which have the potential to create problems along the way, but, for me, overcoming these just add to the challenge.”

Peter became hooked on running after taking part in the London Marathon in 2009. He said his 44 marathon challenge was his way to move his focus “away from running quickly to running for a cause”.

Praising the mental health charities he is raising funds for, he said: “These charities are doing work that makes a difference every day.

“In terms of my own experiences of mental health, I have had many friends and family members who have, and who still suffer from, a variety of mental health conditions.

“I can see how debilitating this can be and how frustrating it can be to see services stretched and the right support often extremely hard to come by.”

To find out more about Peter’s challenge, visit marathonsforthemind.com.