A 31-year-old from Alresford is about to undertake the toughest running race in the world - dressed in a rhino costume.

Former Winchester Colts rugby player, Cameron Short, is gearing up for the Marathon des Sables, in which he will run the equivalent of six marathons in seven days across the Sahara.

He has the additional challenge of running with a 7ft, two-stone costume on his back to raise money for the international charity, Save the Rhino.

"The suits weren't designed to run in. They were designed for ballet actually and they're beautiful costumes, really fantastic," said Cameron.

"Save the Rhino is quite notorious for doing mad stuff. They have had rhinos at the top of Kilimanjaro and are talking about trying to go up Everest."

Cameron will be running in a team of seven for Save the Rhino and they're hoping to raise £2,500 each for the conservation charity.

He was roped into doing the run, he said, by Cathy Dean, director of the conservation charity, whom he met while watching his twin brother, Ben, in the New York Marathon.

But then he didn't know just how tough the Sahara run was.

"You have to carry all your own food and bedding. You have to take lightweight astronaut food and do silly things like cutting your toothbrush in half.

"The temperatures are pretty horrific. We sleep under cocoa bean sacks stitched together and it gets very cold at night.

"You're only allowed to use nine litres of water a day for drinking and washing so, by the end, people do smell a bit," said Cameron.

One stage of the journey stretches out over 50 miles, with competitors given 39 hours to reach the finish line, and another leg is a full marathon.

Runners, who have to carry snake-venom antidote, can expect temperatures of up to 125oF during the day.

Cameron, an art director for a London advertising agency, admits he's nervous but he seems relaxed about the challenge.

"My love of adrenaline sports began when I was growing up on a farm with Ben. He used to hunt me down with an air rifle - our parents never knew about it though."

Around 700 people - "mentalists" according to Cameron - will be on the start line for the April race but every year many fail to finish.

If you would like to sponsor Cameron, visit www.savetherhino.org or send a cheque, made payable to Save the Rhino International, to 16, Winchester Walk, London, SE1 9AQ. Envelopes should be labelled "Cameron's Fund".