Steve Prescott completes gruelling 48-hour challenge

A FORMER Hull FC player who is battling stomach cancer has completed his latest charity challenge with flying colours.

Steve Prescott, 38, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, but the illness spurred him on to help others, and now Steve has tackled his greatest test – a gruelling 48-hour swim, cycle and run.

Steve said: "I don't think anyone was expecting the weather conditions for the cycling – they were terrible. It was the worst cycling I've ever done."

He swam the River Humber on Thursday, before cycling 130 miles to Liverpool, swimming across the Mersey and running 18 miles to Runcorn.

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The final leg saw Steve canoe 26 miles of the Bridgewater Canal to Old Trafford, where the Stobart Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday.

"Swimming the Mersey was frightening," Steve said. "I just couldn't belive how fast the current was. It took us a mile downriver from where we started."

Cycling the Pennines was a hard enough challenge. In awful weather, with miles left to go, Steve said he came close to giving up.

He said: "There were 25 to 30 miles of hills to climb with the rain and the wind in your face.

"I questioned myself mentally on whether I was able to go any further.

"I just don't know how I got myself to the finish that day."

Along with 30 others taking part in the challenge, Steve cycled through the night. They snatched a short rest before battling their way across the Mersey.

"We went overnight without sleep and then got up after two hours sleep to attempt the Mersey swim," he said.

"The others who came with me are all amazing, genuine people.

"They wanted to help and they inspired me by wanting to take part."

Before the challenge, Steve had almost no experience of swimming.

"I did months and months of training," he said.

"Two or three months ago I couldn't swim – I hadn't done any swimming at all before that."

Steve and his supporters were last night still adding up the fundraising total.

In September 2006, Steve was diagnosed with the rare cancer pseudomyxoma peritonei and given months to live.

He had a major operation in Basingstoke Hospital to remove tumours from his abdomen.

After surgery he was transferred to The Christie Hospital in Manchester for chemotherapy to try to control the remaining disease.

He is still determined to fight all the way.

"I've got a scan to take after the challenge," he said.

"But until somebody tells me I can't do something I'm going to carry on doing it. I've not quit one of these challenges yet and I don't intend to start."