MOUNTAIN climbers, polar explorers and desert yompers all over the world have had cause to thank a specialist North Yorkshire food firm.

Now intrepid runners from all over Britain who plan to take part in a six-day endurance race across the Sahara are coming to them for advice.

The competitors, who are taking part in the 151-mile Marathon Des Sables in Morocco next March, will converge at York's Railway Institute on Sunday to learn about their diet from First Choice Expedition Foods.

The niche market company, based in Pickering, will be advising the participants about their lightweight container, prepared-in-the-bag, pre-cooked meals that have powered some of the world's bravest adventurers.

These include the likes of Virgin tycoon Richard Branson on his balloon trips, sailor Tony Bullimore on his series of round-the-world expeditions, Jim Shekedar, the first person to row the Pacific single handed and unsupported, and Peter Bray, who made the first unsupported crossing of the North Atlantic in a kayak.

Latest hero to power his way into the Guinness Book of Records on First Choice Expedition Foods products is 23-year-old oarsman Olly Hicks, who broke three world records on successful completion of his solo Virgin Atlantic row.

Olly survived his 120-day ordeal from New York to Falmouth by eating the company's nutritious, freeze-dried in-the-bag, ready-to-eat meals, including beef and potato casserole, chilli con carne, chicken curry, steak and vegetable casserole and mixed fruit and custard.

Oliver also relied on First Choice Expedition Foods when he took part in the Marathon des Sables three years ago.

The company was first established by Ian Williams to supply youth groups taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award with ready to eat expedition meals 13 years ago.

Now it supplies not only the world's acclaimed explorers but also local councils, military organisations and rescue services globally.

The extent of the market surprised Mr Williams when he first started up. "I thought, for example, that there might be one or two expeditions to the North Pole, but in one week alone I supplied three polar expeditions travelling from Canada and Russia.

"As leisure time and communications increase the public's sense of adventure becomes greater."

Mr Williams, 63, who loves canoeing and mountaineering, first latched on to the idea of tailored foods for the intrepid when on expeditions with members of his own outreach centre years ago.

"We would visit the Faroe Islands and the glaciers of Norway and would have to survive on catering food full of monosodium glutimate. I began to research what other food was available and there wasn't much."

Updated: 10:48 Friday, November 04, 2005