A shop manager from Worcester will be swapping taps for tents when he jets to Cuba for a gruelling jungle challenge to raise cash for a children's charity.

Shaun Kelly, manager of Evesham's Plumb Center has signed up for the trek to raise funds for the National Children's Hospice (NCH) charity.

"It will be a personal challenge for me but the main objective is to raise money for the NCH," said Mr Kelly, of St Peter's.

"Customers and colleagues in the area have been very generous with their pledges and I'm really looking forward to the trek."

He is part of a

50-strong team from national plumbing merchant Plumb Center to take on the challenge.

"The firm does quite a lot of charity work," added Mr Kelly.

"The opportunity came up to do the trek and I was keen to do it and put something back into the community.

Mr Kelly is currently training for the November expedition, which aims to raise £100,000.

"We're doing a lot of running at the moment to get fit for the event," he added.

"We hope to do it within five to six days with overnight stops. We will be

backpacking throughout the trip and there will be quite a few hills, so it will be quite strenuous.

But the 30-year-old is accustomed to gruelling exercise - he was a physical training instructor for the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment for eight years.

Cash raised from the trek will assist the NCH with its running of 400 projects throughout the UK, helping children, young people and families.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Mr Kelly should contact him on 01386 40311.