LLOYDS Bank worker Steve Pratt has already clocked up 1,000 miles in preparation for a charity trek across the Sahara Desert next week.

Mr Pratt, 55, from Worton, near Devizes, is trekking 150km with 34 colleagues from the banking group in a bid to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Staff at Mr Pratt’s Trowbridge branch held a cake sale on Wednesday to help raise money and have been running a book stall since since January which has raised over £1,000.

Despite being one of the oldest people on the trek, Mr Pratt, a senior healthcare banking consultant, is one of the trip’s top fundraisers.

Mr Pratt said: “It’s unusual if people are not touched by Alzheimer’s, it has certainly affected members of our wider family.

“I’ve been walking most weekends and a couple of days in the week to get the miles in the legs, but there will be no substitute for walking up and down the sand dunes of the Sahara, it’s just about endurance.”

“The stars are meant to be amazing. Our leaders have said you won’t ever see stars like it, there’s no light pollution.”