SUPERSTAR athlete Dean Macey is hoping to smash a gruelling world record in the name of a little girl who died from a brain tumour.
The decathlete from Canvey, who has been part of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, is taking on the ambitious challenge alongside a team of five - which will see them attempt to carry out the most chest to floor burpees in 12 hours.
He is patron of the The Indee Rose Trust, named after a Canvey youngster who died in June 2009.
At three-years-old, she had been just a month away from her fourth birthday.
To see her name featured in the book of Guinness World Records, the Indee Rose team will take on the challenge from 9am through till 9pm on Sunday.
They will have to rotate in one minute intervals for 12 hours and complete approximately 14 burpees each in every minute to beat the current record.
This number stands at a jaw-dropping 7,545.
Russell Dopson, Indee’s father, said: “Dean is always looking for ideas on what we can do to fundraise.
“Originally, they wanted to do a burpee marathon - but then came the idea of taking on the world record.
“Having her name in the book of Guinness World Records would be incredible, we will never forget her and wanted to give her a lasting legacy.
“We first started talking about it three months ago, when lockdown started finishing, and now it’s right round the corner.
“It’s definitely exciting, although has been quite stressful getting everything ready.
“We’ve had to sort filming for it for the whole 12 hours so we can send the footage off to them.
“Now, its down to the guys to pull it off.”
The challenge, set to take place at Concord Rangers Football Club, will help raise money for The Indee Rose Trust - with a Just Giving target set at £5,000.
The trust provides treasure boxes of toys and gifts for children who have been hospitalised while receiving treatment for a brain or spinal tumour and also provides support to their families.
Mr Dopson, continued: "We're always trying to do something big, we've also done 12 hour rowathons and spinathons, climbed Kilimanjaro and more.
"But I saw the practice run last week, and it looked hard enough for half an hour let alone 12 hours.
"We'd like to thank everyone who has been involved in making this happen and wish the guys the best of luck."
Taking on the challenge will include Dean and Lisa Macey, Marie Dipple, Carl Orme, Perry Agass, and Hattie Haslam-Greene.
Visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gwr-burpees
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