A Kent soldier preparing for the Invictus Games in America next week took on a tough training session with a twist - a battering inside a wind tunnel.

Darran Challis, from Folkestone, is competing in swimming and cycling events in the games founded by Prince Harry for wounded service personnel in Florida.

One of the training techniques he used to get ready for the games was a wind tunnel normally used to test cars in extreme weather.

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He and teammate Craig Preece faced winds of up to 40mph on their bikes inside the tunnel at Jaguar Land Rover.

The session helped them work on becoming more aerodynamic ahead of the games in Orlando starting on Sunday, May 8 until May 12.

Heat is expected to play a major part in the challenge so infrared heating lights were also put in to mimic the high temperatures the pair will face.

Darran, a former army warrant officer, suffered multiple injuries to his neck, collar bone, spine, pelvic and both legs resulting in him losing movement.

He said: “I’m extremely excited. I couldn’t believe it when I got the email [to be selected for the games].

Video: Watch Darran prepare for the Invictus Games

“It gave me a chance to look at how I cycle on the bike how I can get more aerodynamic. I think this year’s games is going to be absolutely phenomenal.”

His passion for triathlons – swimming, running and cycling – though meant he fought back to compete and complete rehabilitation.

Darran added: “Without the sports recovery I wouldn’t be going out to the games and meet some of the fantastic people along the way to gain scope about my injury, how to compensate for my injury and move on.

“There is life after your injury. You just have to think of ways around your personal injury, set your goals and achieve those goals and go on to bigger and better goals.”

He was part of the Help for Heroes Enduroman Arch to Arc team that completed a huge triathlon from Marble Arch in London to L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

He and five other wounded, injured or sick servicemen completed a run from Marble Arch to Dover, swim across the Channel and cycle from Calais to Paris.

Darran is also in training for the UK Ironman and European Masters Swimming Championships.

The Invictus Games were first held in London in 2014 and was hosted at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London involving 400 competitors from 13 countries.

Find out more about the Invictus Games 2016 at invictusgames2016.org