THREE ‘tough guys’ were pushed to their limit when they tackled the hardest challenge of their lives in a bid to raise money for people with cancer.

Oxford Mail advertising representative Alex Castle and friends Oliver Lloyd and Henri McKechnie, took part in the 15k army assault course and endurance test Tough Guy in Wolverhampton on Sunday.

They joined thousands of competitors to crawl under barbed wire, scale walls, jump through fire, get zapped by electric fences and slog through freezing water.

Mr Castle, 23, from Bampton, signed up for the challenge to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.

He chose the charity in memory of his grandad David Rolph, an MBE, who died from the disease in 2014.

He said: “I signed up to what would be the most testing and toughest challenge I and two friends would take in a bid raise money for a charity close to my heart, Prostate Cancer UK.

“Friends and family said I was mad, but nonetheless, this spurred me on to accomplish something I never would have dreamed of doing.”

Mr Castle managed to raise £765 for his chosen charity, while 24-year-old Mr Lloyd, also from Bampton, racked up £300 for the St Thomas Lupus Trust.

Lupus is a disease in which the immune system becomes overactive. It can affect any organ of the body and symptoms include fatigue, rashes, allergies, depression and kidney failure.

Mr McKechnie, 24, from Burford, was taking part to support his friends.

After completing the course, Mr Castle said he felt he could conquer anything.

He said: “There are no words to describe this event; possibly just, indescribable. It’s torturous, unforgiving, relentless, but, of all things, it will change you.”

Visit prostatecanceruk.org.