OXFORDSHIRE'S very own Forrest Gump is back and getting ready to travel the length of the country – twice.

Ewan Gordon from Bicester will set off this Saturday with his friend Kenny Duff – also from Bicester – on the monumental challenge covering 2,000miles on foot and bike.

Taking their efforts to new heights, the pair hope to first run from one end of the country to the other – John O’Groats in the Highlands to Land’s End – then cycle back again, all in six weeks.

Mr Gordon made a name for himself in recent years taking on a series of intense challenges including many marathons plus similar feats from on end of Britain to the other, all while dressed as Forrest Gump.

He said: “Having completed John O’Groats to Lands End on foot in 2015 and the reverse journey by bicycle with my nephew Jamie in 2016, we’ve decided to do it all again. We are calling it the Great British Duathlon.

“On Monday Kenny and I will start running from John O’Groats to Lands End, then our bikes will be delivered at Land's End about 25 days later for us to immediately cycle back to John O’Groats.

“It works out as an average of 35 miles running and 100 miles of cycling every day.”

Mr Gordon will be joined all the way by police officer Kenny Duff who has joined the fantastic feats on several previous occasions.

The 41-year-old said he first met Mr Gordon in a pub and, hearing of his fundraising efforts, has since joined him for a number of marathon missions.

This time the pair will be raising money for national children’s charity Lifelites and Oxford children’s hospice Helen and Douglas House.

The pair have already helped raise thousands for their two chosen charities over the years in memory of Bicester youngster Thomas Laurie.

Nine-year-old Thomas passed away in February 2014 following a battle with Cockayne Syndrome – a rare genetic condition that causes premature ageing.

Mr Gordon has since clocked up some 60 marathons in Thomas’s memory and to raise money for the charities which helped him and his family.

Writing on their fundraising page Mr Duff said: “It opened my eyes to the simply shocking numbers of families going through the terrible heartache of having a terminally-ill child and the people out there who try to make it a little more bearable.

“People like those at Helen & Douglas and those at Lifelites who provide specialist entertainment and educational technology for children and young adults in hospices.”

The pair said they have been talking about the challenge for years so decided it was finally time to put it into action.

Mr Gordon added: “We have no intention of breaking any records or changing the world, we just want to raise as much money as we can for these fabulous charities.”

To donate to the cause or to follow the pair – who will be blogging about their adventure along the way – see greatbritishduathlon.co.uk