IT LOOKS like a lesson in how to make life difficult for yourself, but there’s method in the madness of dragging tyres along Bournemouth beach to keep in shape.

Jon Beswick attracts more than his fair share of funny looks with his somewhat unusual way of keeping fit.

But the 30-year-old architect reckons there’s no better way of getting himself into shape for his latest challenge – an expedition to the South Pole.

Jon, a former student of Bournemouth School who lives in Southbourne, will be carrying all his own kit when he skis 100 miles from Union Glacier to the Geographical South Pole in January.

He is part of an expedition that will mark 100 years to the day since Captain Robert Scott’s fateful arrival at the same spot. And the team hopes to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for Article 25, a UK-registered charity that designs, builds and manages projects to provide better shelter wherever there is disaster, poverty or need.

The team consists of a mixture of adventurers and business people and will be led by Neil Laughton, an experienced expedition leader who has led teams to the summits of the highest mountains on each of the seven continents.

Jon, founder of Well Done Medium or Rare Ltd in London, told the Daily Echo: “I write about architecture around the world and have carried out research in Syria, Iraq, Beijing, Africa and Malaysia – I also love expeditions so I try to combine the two.”

The former Bournemouth Rugby Club player will leave the UK on New Year’s Day and the team is due to reach the South Pole on January 17.

Details of sponsorship opportunities are available at wmor.co.uk.