Forty days and forty hikes for landlord

Russell Soden ran the Builders Arms in Lansdowne Street for seven years before moving to Puerto Banús, on the Costa del Sol, where he is now co-owner of Terra Blues bar and a radio DJ.

The 40-year-old former North Leamington School pupil is currently hiking up and down the famous La Concha mountain, which dominates the Marbella skyline, to raise funds in memory of his daughter Cora who died of cot death 14 years ago.

The money will go to the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, the UK’s leading baby charity aiming to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy and promote infant health.

Mr Soden said: “Obviously this cause is one that couldn’t be closer to my heart and over the last few years I have picked one big charity push each year, usually by getting involved in organised expeditions to help raise money for it.”

Mr Soden , who has lived on the Costa del Sol for 11 years, is no stranger to fundraising challenges.

He has climbed Kilimanjaro, helped to build a medical centre in Africa and leapt out of a plane in a sponsored skydive to raise €2,600.

But the 40-day hike could be his biggest yet and he hopes to have raised €4,000 by the end of October.

Mr Soden said: “I was struggling to find something different to do this year so first I managed to rope some other local bar owners into jumping out of a plane.

“Then I thought I would try and do a more physical challenge close to home rather than flying halfway round the world.

“My initial idea was to climb La Concha twice a day for 20 days but then I thought that was a bit much.”

To sponsor Mr Soden visit www.justgiving.com/Russell-Soden0