Broken toe fails to stop plucky pensioner's Sahara fund run

Ray Matthews was advised by a doctor not to continue after he picked up the injury just five miles into the gruelling challenge, which took place in the scorching Tunisian desert.

He had run into trouble during the Sahara Challenge when a vicious sand storm blew up, during which he stubbed and broke his toe on rocks and gashed his left arm.

One runner had a heart attack and others dropped out through exhaustion but Mr Matthews managed to carry on – crossing the finishing line without even suffering a blister.

Mr Matthews said: "I broke the same toe four months ago and I realised I was in trouble straight away. I had to carry on for 15 kilometres to the next checkpoint, and there I was ordered to stop.

"There was no way I would, so the project director was called in and we agreed I could carry on in stages. Each night my foot was treated and I took painkillers."

Mr Matthews, from Parkgate, near Rotherham added: "It was amazing being out there all alone with 15 miles of sand stretching in front of you. The dunes were tough, they were about 40ft high and you had to top them to see where you were heading. I had to run up them sideways, to compensate for my toe. I was delighted with my times, but disappointed I had to give up on my dream of making it in 12 hours straight."

He was allowed to run the race over four days taking him 16 hours. He said: "The heat was unbearable but it was the best experience of my life so far and I didn't even get a blister."

The pensioner tackled his fundraiser for Dominic Hurley who had a moped accident 15 years ago leaving him in a coma and paralysed. Dominic defied fears that he would never walk or talk again and is aiming to make the British Paralympic Games in 2012.