TWO schoolboys have their sights set on the world junior record for reaching the tops of the highest mountains in England, Wales and Scotland.

Alex Bone, 18, and Jordan Davies, 17, will undertake the Three Peaks challenge at the end of this month – and they are going to run it.

The pair will be raising money for mental health charity Mind following Alex’s first-hand experience of the toll mental health problems can take.

Alex and Jordan, both of who compete in cross- country events at Sussex schools level, are currently combining their A-level studies at Brighton College with a gruelling training regime to prepare them for the triple ascent.

Alex said: “To start with we both trained as normal for athletics and the other sports we compete in and then we constructed training plans.

“I’ve run up and down Snowdon as a training route. It took one hour 50 minutes and four seconds. I was happy with that, very happy.

“They run a mountain race, which starts about three miles before where I started and the record for that race is one hour and 15 minutes and that’s an international Welsh fell runner. So I’m happy but I’ve got a little way to go.”

The friends will start their challenge in Scotland, at 5pm on May 31.

Although Ben Nevis is the tallest peak in the UK, the route to the summit is relatively easy terrain. They will aim to get to the top and back, which in the summer months can be achieved without specialist mountaineering equipment within four hours. Then they will jump into a car to be driven through the night to Scafell Pike in the Lake District.

After wolfing down a large pasta meal and trying to catch a little sleep they will race off again to the top of the peak.

Alex said: “When we get there, it should just be getting light.

“But it’s the most difficult, terrain wise, given the amount of slate and scree on the path.

“That’ll take three hours. It’s a lot slower going plus we need to save energy for Snowdon.”

After Scafell Pike it will be up and down the Welsh mountain for an overall time they hope will be within 20 hours, which would give them a shot at the record.

They hope to raise a good sum for Mind.

Alex said: “I have realised in the last two years, having been suffering from anxiety and having known someone suffering with depression, the importance of talking therapy.”

To donate, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/alex-bone-jordan-davies-3peaks.