Veterans raise £90k through Arctic challenge

Aldo Kane, Jason Fox, Karl Hinett and author Brian Wood (left to right) completed the challenge over 10 days

A man who was badly injured while serving in Iraq and other veterans have raised more than £90,000 for charity through an ultra-marathon across the Arctic Circle in Sweden.

The challenge, over 514km (320 miles), marked 20 years since Karl Hinett, from Tipton in the West Midlands, suffered life-changing injuries in a petrol bomb attack on his tank in Basra.

The 38-year-old carried out the marathon along with Jason Fox, from TV's SAS: Who Dares Wins, adventurer Aldo Kane and author Brian Wood.

The team went through snow and ice-covered rivers, lakes and forests over 10 days to raise money for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA).

The men completed the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra on Wednesday with organisers claiming they broke a new record by becoming the first team to cross the finish line together.

Mr Hinett, 38, said the success in Swedish Lapland was down to teamwork and friendship.

"It was an amazing feeling to finally see the finish line and to get through together as a team after each and every one of our own struggles," the father-of-one said.

"It's so difficult to move as one when there's so many individual needs."

Mr Hinett had 16 operations over five years to recover from his injuries from the petrol bomb attack

Mr Hinett, a member of the Staffordshire regiment, suffered 37% burns to his face, hands, arms, legs and stomach and went through 16 operations over five years to recover from his injuries.

Since 2005, he has run hundreds of marathons and ultra-marathons.

His said he had a low point "midway through" this latest run.

"We were going in for a checkpoint but the actual distance was much longer than we were told," he said.

"When we reached that area, we were still in the middle of the wilderness and there was no check-point...we had done 250km but we still had another 250 to go."

The team raised money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity

Mr Kane, 47, from Ayrshire, said the expedition was one of the hardest things he had done.

He suffered an Achilles tendon injury at the start and on day three and four "thought I was going to have to pull out".

Mr Fox, 48, more commonly known as Foxy and a former UK Special Forces soldier and Royal Marine, stated: "It's been fun. It's been not so fun. But ultimately, all of that combined is a massive high."

Mr Wood, 44, an author who was awarded the Military Cross, said his highlights included seeing the Northern Lights and herds of reindeer.

"The high is also being with a remarkable bunch of men who are on this journey together, suffering together for an incredible cause," he added.