You probably think that training for a marathon would be testing enough, and you'd be right. But now try doing it with a six-stone tumble-drier on your back.

Former soldier Kez Dunkley has been pounding the streets with his unlikely cargo for the past three weeks to prepare for the Leicester marathon on October 11.

The 40-year-old, from Cosby, is hoping to raise more than £3,000 for national injured soldiers' charity Hope for Heroes when he runs the 26.2 miles carrying the drier – to make the gruelling run that little bit more difficult.

Kez, a premises officer at Holmes Park, the headquarters of Leicestershire and Rutland Football Association, said: "When I'm out running people are always stopping me and giving me money. It's fantastic.

"I run by a lot of pubs and get cheers and good-luck wishes. People pap their horns as they drive by and I even stop to talk to ambulance staff and police.

"During one training session I came back with more than £100 in my hand. It's great."

Kez has taken part in several marathons over the years, including about 40 during his time in the forces. He began using marathons as a means of raising cash for charity after his 16-month old daughter, Libbie, fell victim to cot death in January, 2005.

The following year he competed in the London marathon, and last year took part in his first Leicester marathon – with a four-stone bag of cement on his back.

Since his daughter's death, Kez has raised more than £18,000 for charities including Tommy's, a charity that funds medical research into pregnancy problems, FSIDS, the infant death charity, and Loros hospice in Leicester.

Admin worker Jean Wood is one of 15 members of staff at Holmes Park sponsoring Kez.

She said: "He's an absolutely amazing man and to run all that way with a tumble-drier on his back shows just how determined he is.

"When his daughter died it was tragic and I'm sure it spurred him on to do all these wonderful things. What he's doing is fantastic. He always asks us to come running with him but we make our excuses.

''There's no way we could do what he does."

Kez will be running the marathon with two friends, Tim Siggs and Matt Edkins, who also work at Holmes Park.

The pair will act as his support team during the backbreaking run.

Their target is to complete the marathon in less than six hours.

A spokeswoman for Help for Heroes said: "We are always extremely grateful for any support and people are coming up with some fantastic initiatives.'' Funds raised are making a massive difference to the lives of our wounded heroes.

"Kez has taken this a step further with his incredible challenge, and we wish him the best of luck for a dry run."