A MAN attempting the world record for pulling a vehicle the greatest distance in 24 hours is “heartbroken” after he was forced to stop.

Former Standard illustrator Mike Land started pulling a 1.5-tonne van at Down Ampney airfield on midday, Friday, October 4, aiming for over 32 miles.

He aimed to pull a Vauxhall Combo for a total of nine hours in aid of Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

But Mike, from Swindon, only managed to a distance of 10.5 miles - due to the state of the roads, when potholes on the airfield became too challenging.

He needed to beat 32 miles (51.5km) in 24 hours over flat ground.

Mike said he was “disappointed” but stopping was also a weight off his shoulders, literally and figuratively.

He said: “I took off the harness and suddenly that heaviness that had been pulling on my shoulders was gone - that was a relief.”

Before ending the challenge, Mike was making good progress, travelling 2.2 kilometres every 40 minutes putting him 30 per cent above schedule.

(Image: Danny Purnell)

 

However, Down Ampney Airfield where he was attempting the record was not as smooth as he had anticipated.

Divots in the surface of the World War Two airfield and overgrown vegetation increased resistance and meant Mike could not build up any momentum with the van.

(Image: Danny Purnell)

“We only had about one 50-metre stretch where the van would roll on its own. All of the rest of the time I had to physically pull it with no rest.

“So I was pulling about 150 metres, then having to have a rest, then would pull again for another 150 and hope I did not stop on a downward slope”, he said.

“I turned to the person who was walking next to me and said, ‘if I said I couldn’t do this, what would you say?’

(Image: Danny Purnell)

“And he said, ‘Mike, having seen the course anyone would understand you’ve just picked the wrong venue’.”

Mike’s partner, Sue, said: “He is understandably heartbroken, and I know he will feel like he's let you all down, but 13 miles, I'm sure you'll agree is still a very valiant effort.”

(Image: Danny Purnell)

The first thing for Mike was “a big hug” before he was pushed into the back of the van and driven to the crowd of supporters there to cheer him on.

“I thanked everyone who came out, explained it was down to the ground and we’re going to look for another venue and start it all again”, he said.

The search for another venue for the next attempt has already started, with Mike already listing off a number of potential sites.

In order to file the world record the venue must be completely flat and level (have a 1:1 gradient) and have some degree of public access.