LANDLUBBER Colin Betts is preparing for the trip of a lifetime after being selected to join a team competing for the BT Global Sailing Challenge.

The father-of-one from St Aidan's Close, Billinge, had never sailed before in his life but had always wanted to try it and jumped at the chance to enter trials for the challenge. And he couldn't believe his luck when sailing veteran Chay Blyth personally chose him as one of the two-leggers on his own boat, sponsored by communications company, Marconi.

Colin told the Star: "I work as an engineer for Marconi and that's where I heard the appeal for volunteers. The fact that I'd had no formal sailing experience was actually an advantage because it is more a test of how people work together as a team while on board than getting the best sailors. I will also be raising money and sponsorship for Save the Children and I have to raise a minimum of £7,000 just to compete."

The 28,600-mile race, which features teams from all over the world, starts in September from Southampton and all the boats will follow a tough course which takes them round the world the 'wrong' way - against the prevailing winds. Colin will join the 16-crew boat in May, 2001 for the last two legs over a 6,200-mile route which takes them from Cape Town in South Africa to the port of La Rochelle in France where all the boats meet up in time for the final three-day race back to Southampton ending on Saturday, June 23.

He is now starting to collect sponsorship from local businesses and added: "I have already had a favourable response. Houghwood Golf Course has agreed to waive their green fees for three rounds of golf for 24 people over separate days and Barrows Farm Livery Stables in Billinge are also sponsoring me. All the money will go towards the charity. Nugent House School have also agreed to do a geography project on the Challenge course and I would be grateful for any other help."

Anyone who would like to sponsor Colin can contacted him on (01744) 893484.

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