A SWIMMING pool lifeguard is planning to run 178 wearing pink boxer shorts after losing an unusual bet over a lost camera.

Nathan Graham, 22, of Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, will follow a route from Durham City to Leicester in the eye-catching underwear later this month.

He hopes to complete the journey in five days and will be accompanied by a friend from Australia, Jake Norris, who is currently working at a pub in Lancashire.

Nathan, who works at the Louisa Centre, Stanley, is hoping to raise sponsorship for five charities.- If U Care Share( set up after the suicide in 2005 of Lumley teenager Daniel ‘O’Hare, Help for Heroes, Guides Dogs for the Blind, Macmillan Cancer Care and the Alzheimer’s Research Trust.

Nathan and Jake will do the run in stages, starting on Thursday January 21 - Durham to Thirsk , 44.2 miles; Thirsk to Leeds, 38.4 miles; Leeds to Sheffield, 33.8 miles; Sheffield to Nottingham, 35.9 miles; Nottingham to Leicester, 26.4 miles.

Nathan, who has done the Great North Run, lost his bet against a friend in Leicester recovering the camera that he gave to a girl he met on a night out in the city.

Through friends of friends the gadget was tracked down to a girl in Salisbury and was returned months later.

Nathan said: "I didn’t think he would it. I thought it was an easy bet. At first I thought I would do the run for one charity, then people suggested charities to support so I thought we would raise money for five and we would dedicate a section of the route to each one.

"We are thinking that we’ll raise at least £100 for each charity..’’ People who want to sponsor the pair can visit their Just Giving websites at www.justgiving.com/Durham2Thirsk (If U Care Share) - online later in the week - www.justgiving.com/Thirsk2Leeds (Help For Heroes), www.justgiving.com/Leeds2Sheffield (Guide Dogs For The Blind), www.justgiving.com/Sheffield2Nottingham (Macmillan Cancer Care), and www.justgiving.com/Nottingham2Leicester (Alzheimer's Research Trust).