AN Astwood Bank man embarked on a challenge of Herculean proportions when he took part in 12 days of high-endurance events for a TV show being screened on BBC3 this week.

Endurance swimming champion Darron Corden, 37, is one of 12 athletes from across the UK who set themselves the challenge of being crowned Hercules, which is described as "Boot Camp meets the World's Strongest Man."

Events include the Hoops of Odysseus, Wheel of Ixion, Ladder of Hades, Anchor of the Argonauts, Oar of Hercules, Chariots of Helios and Ascent to Olympus.

Mr Corden, a carpenter, first took part in county swimming championships aged eight but discovered he preferred to swim longer distances and moved on to outdoor swimming.

He won last year's Lake Windermere race - the premier long distance race and also the longest annual race at 10-and-a-half miles.

Mr Corden, who is married to Lisa and has two daughters, Emily, nine, and Lucy, six, said: "The BBC approached me early last year to enter the competition.

"I had to take part in a selection process before getting into the final 12."

He added: "The competition was about finding the best endurance athlete in the country.

"We competed for eight hours a day, non-stop, and it was hard going."

Hercules began on Monday and runs for 12 consecutive days.