A YOUNG boy is braving the elements by sleeping in a tent for a year to raise money for Huntingdon’s Olympic Gym – he’s even looking forward to it snowing.

Harry O’Driscoll, from Buckden, pictured, has decided to repay the club he has trained at since he was five by sleeping in his garden with only a camp bed, sleeping bag, a torch, a pack of cards and a whistle to keep him company under the stars.

The club needs to raise �400,000 for an extension to allow more children to join and allow the gym’s stars Louis Smith, Dan Keatings and Cameron Mackenzie to train without disruption from other classes. The gym is also raising money for refurbishing the current facilities.

The 12-year-old said: “One night I was sleeping in a tent with my friend and said I wish I could to do this all year. Then my mum said why don’t you do it to raise money for the gym, so I started. My friends think I’m crazy for doing it!”

Monday marked a month since he started and the Hinchingbrooke School student has already raised �400.

Harry added that he wasn’t fazed by the weather: “I can’t wait until it snows! I hesitated when it rained on Sunday but it’s not too bad.

“I do prefer sleeping inside as it’s warmer and my bed is comfy but it’s not that bad.”

His mother Polly O’Driscoll said: “He’s very determined, it just feels like normal for him.”

Adam Scott, one of the coaches at the gym, added: “We thought it was quite amusing when Harry first told us.

“It was crazy at the beginning but after a month he has raised a fair bit of money, he’s coming up to �500, which is great.

“It is very humbling that one of our children has taken it on themselves to raise money for the club. He has got through the warm months and we wish him all the luck to get through the winter months.”

INFORMATION: To sponsor Harry in his challenge visit www.justgiving.com/Harry-O-Driscoll-2012