A father-of-three from Chingford will undertake a notoriously tough endurance event to raise money for research into a rare disease that took the life of a close friend’s family member.

Aaron Arthur, 36, of Larkshall Road, has signed up for Tough Mudder in April, an event organisers describe as a “hardcore 12-mile military obstacle course”.

Aaron, a partner in the Leytonstone-based scaffolding company Scafforce, is raising money for The Lily Foundation, a charity raising money for research into mitochondrial disease – a condition about which very little is known and claimed the life of seven-month-old Lily Anna Merritt in 2007.

Aaron's close friend and colleague of 15 years David Rider is part of Lily’s family, and Aaron said seeing the family’s commitment to finding a cure spurred him on to sign up for the assault course, get training, and raise money to help.

He said: “I chose this charity over many others because this is one of the few diseases that doesn’t currently have a cure and no effective treatments, which is the worst news you can have, especially when this disease is most common in your children.

“I’ve met the whole family at other charity events and they’re all great and committed to the cause, especially Lizzy, Lily’s mum.”

The event, on April 26, involves negotiating fields of barbed wire, electric fences and swimming through icy water.

“I know they have raised a lot of money already and have some famous people around them but I want to prove that anyone can make a difference and people need to be aware that there is help out there and that people do care,” he added.

Visit www.justgiving.com/user/41935530 to donate.