HAVE-A-GO fund-raiser Tom Mennell has sweated pounds to raise pounds, writes Tony Kelly.

Mennell last year marked the first anniversary of his dad Berni’s death by tackling a skydive to raise cash for St Leonard’s Hospice, where his dad spent his dying days.

For the last few weeks he has been putting his 22-year-old frame through the demands of martial arts ahead of a spar-athon challenge today at the United Masters gym in Layerthorpe.

Starting from 6.30pm Huntington’s Mennell will attempt 40 two-minute rounds of sparring. Said gym founder Gaz Watkinson: “Tom’s thrown himself into the challenge with boxing and martial arts.

“He’s really going for it.”