Benjamin Garcia from Beccles completes Marathon des Sables

And now Benjamin Garcia, who grew up in Beccles, is celebrating after finishing the gruelling marathon.

Mr Garcia, 36 managed to not only finish the six-day race across the Sahara Desert, but came 206th out of approximately 850 competitors.

Mr Garcia set off on Sunday, April 14, and completed the 250km mission on Saturday, April 20, overcoming temperatures soaring up to 48 degrees.

Benjamin Garcia on his Marathon des Sables mission (Image: Benjamin Garcia)

He said: "I have done other similar long-distance runs in the past but this was by far the toughest and certainly a pretty epic challenge.

"There were a few dark moments I had to overcome.

"On one of the days the distance we had to run much further and this one afternoon, with the temperature at 48 degrees, it never felt like it was going to end."

Benjamin Garcia on his Marathon des Sables mission across the Sahara Desert (Image: Benjamin Garcia)

The competitors were sleeping in tents large enough to house seven people with who they would cook their own meals together.

Mr Garcia's mission was to raise money for the National Inpatient Centre for Psychological Medicine - a specialist NHS inpatient unit based at Leeds General Infirmary - which is treating his close family friend.

Benjamin Garcia on his Marathon des Sables mission across the Sahara Desert (Image: Benjamin Garcia)

He said: "As I was running I had the family with whom I was raising money on my mind and to complete the mission was certainly my motivation to carry on in difficult moments.

"I am pleased to have raised the amount of money I have and it is incredibly rewarding."

The fundraiser is still open, to donate: www.justgiving.com/page/benjamin-garcia-1709760400896

Marathon des Sables

It is billed as the toughest foot race in the world and three runners have paid the ultimate price – dying while competing in the Marathon des Sables – since it was first held in 1986.

The six-day, 250km ‘Marathon of the Sands’ takes place in brutal desert conditions and tests competitors to breaking point.

It is one of the toughest ultra races on the planet as thousands of runners push through the Sahara Desert in Morocco.

Camels carrying camping equipment (Image: Benjamin Garcia)

The most recent death was that of a French runner in 2021, who succumbed to a heart attack on the second day of what is regarded as the most difficult race to date.

The London Marathon has seen 12 deaths over its history and the New York City Marathon had three deaths in 2008 alone.