Parents and children from the Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club were on hand on Saturday to help Maurice Donohue in one of his final training sessions before he embarks on the gruelling Genghis Khan Ice Marathon.

The group took part in a 2km run around the hall at St Peter the Apostle High School to send Maurice on his way. The club also donated to Maurice's fundraising page for the marathon, the two charities that are being supported by his marathon challenge are: Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and The Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).

Maurice was delighted with the support he received.

He said: "There was great support on Saturday from the children and parents of the Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club, who helped me with my training by completing a 2k run in support of the Mongolian Challenge.

"The club have very kindly offered to make a donation to our fundraising page, which is fantastic.

"Thanks also to the team at RDA for coming along to support the event."

The Bonhill man left for Mongolia on Thursday and the marathon got under way yesterday (Tuesday).

He will encounter some of the most hostile conditions on the planet in the inaugural event, Mongolian winters see average temperatures plummet to –40C and the country has the lowest density of human habitation on Earth.

What he might bump into as he runs along the frozen Tuul Gol river is a pack of wolves! The area is heavily populated with wolf packs and so the route will be patrolled by husky teams to ensure competitors’ safety.

You can keep up to date with Maurice's progress on: https://www.facebook.com/Sandbaggers-141324975902008/?ref=bookmarks.

His just giving page can be found at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/GhengisKhanIceMarathon.

For more information on the Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club visit: http://www.ddsc.org.uk.