or more information please contact Lloyd

Tel: 07931 543444

Email: thatblokeltd@btconnect.com

For more information on the Team England Footballers Charity and to donate, visit:

Mine - Virtual Tour link below

http://www.anglogoldashanti.co.za/subwebs/VirtualTour/ipix.asp?tour=01

Donation Link below

http://www.teamenglandfootballerscharity.com/?p=335

Notes to Editors:

The Team England Footballers Charity:

Since the charity's inception in 2007, each member of the squad has forgone their match fees and many team members have given up their time to support chosen charity partners to include Children's Hospices UK; WellChild; the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK and the Professional Footballers Association Charity Initiatives.

In addition to supporting the other charities, the Team England Footballers Charity has launched its own Outreach Programme that uses football to improve opportunities for disadvantaged children and young adults across the country.

A CAF Trust Account, under the name Team England Footballers Charity has been set up via the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). CAF is a non-profit organisation committed to effective giving, providing a range of specialist services to donors, companies and charities in the UK and internationally.

Charity champion, Lloyd Scott will be attempting his most unusual and extreme challenge to date, by running a marathon 12,000 feet underground in the world's deepest mine.

Raising funds for the charities supported by the Team England Footballers Charity - including Children's Hospices UK, WellChild, the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK and the PFA charity initiatives - Lloyd has the backing of the entire England squad.

Scott has secured permission from AngloGold Ashanti, one of the biggest gold mines in the world, to undertake the marathon, along with his colleague Charlie Vincent, on Sunday, 6th June, at the Mponeng mine in Carletonville, just 50 miles west of Johannesburg.

The mine is less than 70 miles from the England training camp at Rustenburg and Rio Ferdinand commented, “The players are delighted that Lloyd will attempt the world's deepest underground marathon in aid of the Team England Footballers Charity. I have heard of digging deep, especially for charity, but 12,000 feet underground is quite something! The England team wish them all the very best in this incredible venture and encourage others to get behind them to help raise funds for the fantastic charities we support.”

Scott, who was awarded the MBE in 2005 for services to charity, said: “It's a fantastic opportunity and I am extremely grateful to AngloGold for allowing Charlie and myself to attempt this unique event.

“It does mean that for the first time in years I will have to train to run a marathon properly!”

Conditions in the mine will be extreme. The pressure of the rock at that depth is immense, so much so that rock can explode causing serious injury. The surface temperature of the walls is 65 degrees Celsius.

Enormous ice machines are used to pump ice down the mine in an attempt to make working - and running temperatures - bearable. The runners will descend the mine, which is 3.6 kilometres (2.27 miles) deep, in full safety equipment before changing into running kit and the emergency gear they will have to carry with them on the run.

In addition to the heat and humidity, the course will be undulating, over rough rock trail and crosses the rail line that runs through the mine. Masks are usually worn by the workforce, but on this occasion will have to be discarded by the need to gulp down large lungfuls of the hot wet air whilst running.

Having overcome leukaemia by undergoing a life-saving bone marrow transplant in 1989, Scott has since had more than 20 operations, including two replacement hips and to date raised an astonishing £5 million for charities and good causes.

Joanne James, of AngloGold Mine, said: “We were hugely impressed by Lloyd's imagination and tenacity in trying to make this very unusual request and event possible. Nothing like this has ever been attempted before!

“As a result, we are delighted to be able to assist him in his effort to raise funds for charity and we will be inviting members of our staff to join Lloyd in running a marathon relay while he and his companion concentrate on the full 26.2 mile distance.

We are hoping to attract an enormous amount of interest for this region in the run up to the Word Cup, which starts just a few days after the run.”

Scott said: “I don't think anybody has any comprehension as to what the conditions will be like. I know the whole mine is an amazing feat of engineering and the size and scale of the entire operation is absolutely mind-blowing!

If we survive this one, I would also like to claim the highest ever marathon, running around the crater rim of Kilimanjaro later this year.”