A FAST-FOOD giant employee is taking part in a gruelling fitness challenge in aid of a research charity which helps his niece.

Gareth Etherington, 29, of Newgate Street, Chingford, is taking part in the 'Porridge Pot or Bust' event which includes a 10k run, a 25k mountain bike ride, finished off by 1k kayaking.

Mr Etherington, a graphic designer at McDonalds head office, plans to raise money for the skin disease charity, the British Skin Foundation (BSF) which helps to fund projects to find cures or provide better understanding of skin conditions, like Scleroderma, which his 7-year-old niece, Ashleigh lives with.

She developed it when she was around four years old, causing one of her arms to be shorter than the other and to have what looks like burn marks.

He said: “Supporting the British Skin Foundation is a big thing for me.

“It was a natural choice to pick this charity because it is so personal for me.

“Like many skin conditions, it’s a disease that not a lot of people know much about, so it’s important that we find out more about it.”

He will be taking part in the event with two other colleagues at the Pirbright Army Camp, in Surrey, on Sunday January 30, and they are currently engaged in a daily course of intense training to prepare for the big day.

for more information please visit http://www.justgiving.com/Abigail-Jones1