Two friends from Andover are taking part in a gruelling challenge this weekend as they set out to run 48 miles in 48 hours.

Dave Pidgen and Carl Millward, who both work for the housing association Aster, are running four mile bursts every four hours, including overnight.

It is a challenge dreamt up by a former Navy Seal, with the pair doing it to raise money for Dementia UK.

So far, they've raised over £3,000 at the halfway point.

Speaking to the Advertiser on Saturday afternoon as they prepared to take on their sixth run - a loop from Weyhill to Monxton - both Dave and Carl blamed each other for coming up with the idea.

"We are regular runners and we both run together," Carl said. "Dave saw it somewhere and decided we would do it.

"To make it a little more interesting we decided we would do it for charity."

The pair are taking part in the gruelling challenge in aid of Dementia UK, their employer Aster's charity of the year.

It will also see the group match fund their total, boosting the amount raised.

Dave was inspired to raise money for Dementia UK after helping a lady with dementia who had become lost in Andover while he was out on a run.

He said: “I was asked for directions by a lady who was lost in Harewood Forest, I pointed her in the right direction, and I went on my way.

“A little way up the track I didn’t really feel comfortable letting her go on her own, so I went back to check on her. She explained she had dementia and had been wondering around lost for three hours.

“I walked with her for three miles to make sure she got home safely, chatting along the way and it was really terrible seeing someone who was physically fit struggling to remember things.

“Now that I’ve seen the effects dementia can have on a person, I wanted to raise money for Dementia UK and support the great work they’re doing.

"I am expecting this challenge to be up there with the toughest things I’ve ever done, especially factoring in the 48 miles of running mixed with sleep deprivation.”

The pair aim to complete the event with a victory lap of Charlton playing park on Sunday afternoon.

The challenge is not for the faint-hearted, seeing Dave and Carl run four miles every four hours from 8pm on Friday to 4pm on Sunday.

It leaves little time for them to recuperate and catch up on sleep.

Speaking ahead of the sixth run on Saturday afternoon, Carl admitted to starting to feel the workload, adding: "The last couple hours have been a little bit of a lull. Once we get running I hope we will be alright.

"They provide nurses to help family support, so if some of that money can go on that, it is amazing," he said about the charity's work.

To follow their progress and donate, you can find them on JustGiving here.