A former soldier running on a treadmill in the Ashforld Designer Outlet is due to break a world record later this week.

Endurance athlete Mike Buss, 36, is due to equal the record of completing 50 marathons in 50 days on Wednesday and then set a new record by running 51 in 51 days by Thursday afternoon.

Speaking after his 48th marathon on Monday, Mr Buss, a former member of the Royal Green Jackets, said: “Hopefully by Wednesday I will have equalled the world record, on Thursday I will break it and then every day after that I will set a new one.”

The super fit runner is taking part in a challenge called the Hero 100 and has set himself the target of running 100 marathons back-to-back in 100 days.

In the process he hopes to raise awareness about wounded servicemen’s charity Help for Heroes as well as raising £100,000 for them by the end of the year.

Mr Buss was given a medical discharge from the army in 2000 after suffering injuries from an IRA car bomb. After spending five months homeless on the streets of London, he started running and broke the record for the fastest London marathon carrying 50lbs.

He became a full time professional athlete in September last year.

After his first day in the outlet Mr Buss, who eats an astonishing 4,000 calories each day, was amazed by the support and generosity of the people in Ashford.

“It’s been absolutely brilliant,” he said. “I’ve made as much money in Ashford in four hours as I did in a whole week in London so I would really like to thank everyone so far.”

He completes his last 26.2 mile run in the outlet on Saturday before travelling to Bulford in Salisbury. The plans to end the challenge by completing his 100th marathon in the NEW arena in Birmingham.

People interested in sponsoring Mike Buss can go to www.justgiving.com/mikes-worldrecords.

For more information go to www.facebook.com/pages/MIKE-BUSS-Beyond-Impossible/106798712693505