A veterinary surgeon will take on his toughest challenge yet when he rows a marathon to raise money for animal welfare charity Blue Cross.

Roger Holden, 57, of Farnham, will attempt the 26.2-mile indoor rowing challenge at Farnham Leisure Centre at 11am on Saturday, May 16.

Mr Holden chose to support Blue Cross because of his lifelong connection with animals and fond memories of volunteering with the charity as a teenager.

During a summer break, he spent three weeks gaining experience with Blue Cross, an opportunity he says helped him on the path to becoming a vet.

He also recalls his mother regularly turning to the charity when family pets died, especially when she took their dog to the Blue Cross Hammersmith clinic.

Mr Holden said: “I think when I was young volunteering at the Blue Cross was a great experience and really helped me as a pre-vet school student.

“I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking to get into veterinary.”

The 57-year-old has lived in Farnham for more than 20 years and has worked at a number of veterinary practices in the town, including Cathcart & Winn and Vets4Pets, part of Pets at Home, where he spent more than a decade.

He now continues to work as a vet for his own business.

Mr Holden said the charity’s work, which includes veterinary treatment, pet rehoming, pet food banks and bereavement support, makes a huge difference to owners and animals alike.

He has already raised just under £1,000 through sponsorship but has chosen not to set a fundraising target.

Mr Holden said: “I did not want people to feel pressure to donate money as it is a really tough time for people.”

Despite the scale of the challenge, he is optimistic after completing 38 kilometres in training.

He said: “I’m aiming to finish in under three hours and 30 minutes but at my age you quantify success differently, so I would be happy just to finish the event.

“My family think I’m bonkers but I’m always off cycling or running, so they are used to me disappearing off to do something active.”