A Douglas man is preparing for the challenge of a lifetime - when he takes on a gruelling enduro motorbike rally in north Africa next month.

Richard Drinkwater is swapping his normal life-at-the-office in the insurance world for a taste of the desert in Agadir - an event billed as a 'mini Dakar'.

The off-road ride will test his biking skills to the limit - and for a newcomer will be nothing less than extreme sport!

Richard aims to raise thousands of pounds through sponsorship for the Just One Child charity in Johannesburg - which provides loving homes for orphaned or abandoned children.

And he's had some training with the master of the sport:

If you want to sponsor Richard, please call Kirsten Bennett at his office on 827710.