MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Seven marathon challenge hit by blizzards.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been forced to alter his seven marathons on seven continents challenge after blizzards and engine trouble scuppered his Antarctic start.

The 59-year-old, who recently underwent a double heart bypass operation, had been due to begin the gruelling seven-day challenge on Sunday with a 26-mile run on King George Island.

But he and running partner Dr Michael Stroud have been forced to change plans and instead began in southern Patagonia, Chile, The Times reports.

On Saturday, they took off heading for a Chilean research base, but poor weather thwarted their efforts.

They tried to make the flight for a second time but engine failure prevented them, so the pair decided to change plans and start in Patagonia.

The challenge then moves to the Falkland Islands, which is deemed close enough to fulfil the Antarctic leg.

Sir Ranulph told the newspaper: "I'm obviously not looking forward to phoning our Santiago organisers (where the second run had been scheduled to take place) and telling them the whole thing's off, but I'm relieved to be running at last."

He had already promised to take on the challenge before he collapsed on an aircraft in June and had to undergo surgery.

After the Falklands, the pair face marathons in Sydney, Singapore, Cairo and New York. All money raised from the Land Rover 7x7x7 Challenge will be given to the British Heart Foundation.

Source: Ananova