ONE of the world’s strongest men gave Nelson and Colne College students a helping hand during a charity event.

Each year the college’s public services students choose a charity and organise and run an event as part of their programme.

This year they organised a 12-hour fitness challenge, running from 7am to 7pm, to raise money for the National Museum Arboretum, a centre for remembrance for fallen services personnel.

As part of the event the students managed to secure a three-hour visit from Mark Felix. The 48-year-old is a regular entrant to the iconic World’s Strongest Man competition and has won numerous other international contests.

Mark joined the college students to help motivate them during some of the fitness challenge and to demonstrate lifting techniques.

In previous years the students have done the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge in a day, completed 24 hours’ of non-stop sport, walked the equivalent distance from the college to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan and used Pendle Hill to climb the equivalent of base camp to the summit of Everest.