An altruistic young man has given up all forms of electricity for a week to fund a charitable trip to Guatemala next month.

Ben Blackford, 22, from Beaufort Way, Epsom, deprived himself of heating, electric lights, a fridge, oven, hot water, his mobile phone and his laptop on Friday night.

Ahead of the challenge, he said: "The reaction from people is that I'm mad, but I'm actually really looking forward to it.

"Nearly three million Guatemalans and millions more around the world live with no electricity in their homes every day of the year, so the least I can do is seven days.

"I chose this challenge because I genuinely did think it would be challenging as well as preparing me for what I may come across in Guatemala.

"If I can't do a week of cold showers, I definitely can't do 10 weeks of them in Guatemala."

To let people know about the experience, Mr Blackford is writing on paper and dictating blog entries to his mother who will be typing them up and posting them online.

Then, in mid-April, he will fly to Guatemala to volunteer with the YMCA’s development agency on a 10-week Comic Relief-funded volunteer project called Change the Game.

Along with other volunteers from here and Guatemala, Mr Blackford will help to empower children and teenagers through sport and the creative arts.

He is already a third of his way towards his £1,500 fundraising target, but has decided to give up electricity to encourage more people to donate.

He said: "My hope is that once I'm done I will have raised some money for the YMCA and raised awareness of how much we rely on electricity when so much of the world is without it as well as personally having a really interesting week."

Mr Blackford is volunteering for the programme in Guatemala through the UK government’s International Citizen Service which sends young people overseas.

He said: "After Guatemala's civil war ended in 1996, a legacy of violence is still prevalent in the country and the programme aims to help change this by working with children and teenagers through sport and creative arts."

For updates during the week visit www.facebook.com/benjamin.blackford.7

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Benjamin-Blackford