Jersey runners triumph at the Marathon des Sables, one of world's toughest marathons

• Video report by Louisa Britton

Two runners from Jersey have braved the heat of the Saharan desert to become the first two Brits to finish this year's Marathon des Sables.

The epic ultra marathon is 250km or 156 miles over six stages with competitors running in temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees.

Beth Rainbow was the sixth woman to complete the Marathon des Sables and came 61st overall, finishing in 29 hours, 59 minutes and six seconds.

She says the toughest part was everything but the running:

"We had to sleep outside, carry our own equipment for the week. It was actually very cold in the evenings and then very hot in the day so it was the extreme change of weather that completely threw me off. The running itself was challenging but I was most prepared for that part."

Patrick Kennedy has also done the island proud, coming 9th overall, and was also the first British male to cross the finish line.

He says five years ago he would not have imagined taking on the challenge:

"I wouldn't have thought about doing these types of things. I was 18 stone, I had a rugby background so running wasn't my sort of thing. You just slowly get to understand what your body is capable of doing. You just start building up slowly your endurance then start doing crazier and crazier events. You want to try and test yourself and see what breaks you, if anything."

Beth says the event helps to prove that "you can do anything you set your mind to."