EIGHT men have begun a mammoth challenge which will see them pull a two-and-a-half-tonne truck for a whopping 26 miles through Poole and Bournemouth today.

The team are hoping to pull - and push - the Nissan Cabstar from Boscombe Pier and finish at Sandbanks nine hours later.

They began the charity challenge at 8am this morning surrounded by supportive family and friends, who will be collecting money along the way. 

Their efforts will raise money for Lewis-Manning and Forest Holme hospices.

They hope to raise £10,000 and have already drummed up around half of that through pledges from family, friends and businesses.

Paul Cave, one of the eight men involved, said: "I really just want to get started now.

"We're all limbered up and stretched and keen to get started.

"The training has been progressive and we've built up to 19miles. There will be about three or four stops in total."

The full route can be viewed here and is as follows: 8am Boscombe Pier; 9am Branksome Chine; 10am Poole Park 11am Hamworthy Fire Station; 12noon Creekmoor Lane; 1pm Derbys Corner roundabout; 2pm Shah of Persia; 3pm Sandbanks Road; 4pm Shore Road Junction; Finish at Sandbanks Car Park, 5pm.  Timings are approximate.