Intrepid Roland Borneo bound

12:23pm Sunday 4th November 2007

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AN INTREPID explorer is gearing up for a tropical challenge that will test him to the limits on the other side of the globe.

Roland Rollinson, of Fulford, in York, will take part in a ten-day adventure on the island of Borneo, which is part of Indonesia and Malaysia.

The mammoth test of endurance will see him climb South East Asia's highest mountain, complete a 170-kilometre cycle ride and take to a raft for a white-water knuckle ride.

The 20-year-old hopes his efforts will raise £3,000 for Barnado's, a charity that helps to free young people from poverty, abuse and discrimination.

Roland said: "This is going to be a life-time experience and it's for a very good cause. People always think of the children in Africa and in other parts of the world, but they forget that there are hundreds of children in our own country that need our help."

Roland will kick off his trip by scaling the heights of Mount Kinabalu, which at 4,095 metres is South East Asia's highest mountain.

Roland said: "This is the part I'm most nervous about. I've done lots of trekking before, but never that high - we're going to be pretty near the clouds and I'm not sure I'll be too good at altitude."

The two-day trek will be followed by an equally gruelling 17- kilometre cycle ride through the Crocker mountain range.

He will then be faced with a white-water raft trip down the fierce waters of the Padas River - the climax of his trip.

Roland, who is studying advertising and media at Huddersfield University, said: "I love adventures and I do a lot of rock climbing with my friends in the Yorkshire area.

"But this is going to be totally different. Borneo has got one of the most rugged terrains on the planet and it's going to hard-going.

"I play rugby for my university, but I'm going to have to get into some proper training before I go if I'm going to make it."

Roland has to raise £3,000 for Barnardo's before he leaves for Borneo next March - with 80 per cent of this going straight to the charity's work.

If you would like to sponsor him, log on to www.justgiving.com/ultimate.