Mario and Luigi and the Mighty Deerstalker

TWO Castletown brothers are raising money for charity by taking on a 10-mile night run while dressed as two of Nintendo’s most famous creations.

Colin (22) and Christopher Stone (20) will compete in the annual Mighty Deerstalker race in Mario and Luigi costumes next month.

The pair have previously completed the gruelling challenge dressed as comic book heroes Batman and the Joker, and also as a cow and a bear.

The Mighty Deerstalker — named after the ubiquitous headwear which many of the 2000 participants wear — is held every March in the small town of Innerleithen in the Borders.

The 10-mile race, which takes place at night, crosses several rivers, climbs more than 3000 feet and features several obstacle courses.

This year’s challenge will be Colin’s fifth in a row and Christopher’s third.

Colin’s 2013 time of 2 hours 14 minutes was his best but he was still beaten by his younger brother by just 52 seconds.

He said: "It’s an incredibly difficult race which you can’t take lightly but, since Chris beat me last year, I’m pulling out all the stops.

"I think, in the spirit of Mario and Luigi, I’ll have to take a banana peel to throw at him while we’re running up one of the hills.

"At the end of the day though, it’s all about the money we’re raising for charity — and we’re hoping people donate generously."

The brothers, who will also be joined in the race by their cousin, Graeme Macdonald (19), are raising money for Motor Neurone Disease Scotland.

Motor neurone disease is a debilitating illness which currently has no cure.

Last year, Colin and Christopher raised over £340 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, in memory of Dunnet man and Chris’s school friend Connor Craigie.

Christopher said: "Last year, people really dug deep and gave generously. It was fantastic to see so many people give money to a cause that meant a lot to me, and to many others.

"I’m hoping that people can be just as kind this time round."

You can sponsor the intrepid trio by visiting www.justgiving.com/MightyDeerstalkers2014

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