Daring Newport-based property auctioneer Paul Fosh has enlisted the support of Newport Gwent Dragons’ conditioning coach Ryan Harris for his latest adventure into the unknown.

Last March Paul, of Paul Fosh Auctions, completed the gruelling 350-mile Likeys 6633 Ultra.

He came in fourth and was one of just eight people to finish the distance from a field of 29 entrants from 11 different countries. Only 19 have completed the course in the seven years of it being staged.

Now Paul, from Monmouth, is in training for the 300-mile Yukon Arctic Ultra in Northern Canada and has borrowed a key piece of equipment used by the Newport Gwent Dragons.

Paul sets off on his latest Arctic marathon on Sunday, January 31 with the Canada start date Thursday, February 4.

Paul will have to pull all his equipment - sleeping bag, food and cooking utensils - on a sled across the frozen Northern Canadian wasteland and is using the rugby training equipment for practice.

The 49-year-old married father of four said: “I am delighted to have linked up with Ryan Harris who is the Dragon’s conditioning coach and to be able to use some of his specific training equipment in particular the sled machine.

“Unlike the previous Arctic Ultra this time the sled or pulk I will be pulling will be on the ground rather than on wheels as I will be on snow-covered trails. This will require greater physical strength which I really do need to build up. Training with the sled will be brilliant practice for the real thing.

“The 300-mile plus event is dubbed as the world’s coldest and toughest ultra. I thought the one I completed was bad!”

Last time Paul raised £7,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. This time he is aiming to raise a similar amount for South Wales homeless charity Llamau.

Paul and his staff recently raised funds for Llamau by taking part in a sleep out in Cardiff.

Paul said: “I’m really looking forward to reacquainting myself with the utter remoteness, stillness and beauty of the Yukon area of northern Canada and also getting back in touch with my faithful pulk affectionately named Jack Frost by two of my children Issy and Oli.

“I figured that as I have all the specialist clothes and equipment I needed for the last trip lying about at home I might just as well put it all to very good use once more and help raise money for a brilliant charity along the way.”

As well as going on training jaunts and using the Newport Gwent Dragon’s sled, Paul has retained the services of Chepstow-based personal trainer Ophelia Hogan to get him in tip top condition for his latest trek.