BUSINESSMAN Malk Hall found himself snowed under by six of Nottingham's biggest rugby players as he prepares himself for the most grueling charity event of his life.

Hall, Managing Director of multi award-winning company Hall-Fast Industrial Supplies, was put through his final paces by Championship side Nottingham Rugby ahead of next week's Tough Guy Challenge in Perton, near Wolverhampton.

Entering the punishing event, covering a 15km assault course which includes dips into freezing water and crawling through icy mud under barbed wire, is all part of Hall-Fast's efforts to raise £20,000 for Fountaindale School. Already more than £4,000 has been raised for the Mansfield-based special education needs school.

Green and Whites players may not have had barbed wire, but they did test the limits of Hall's physical endurance by making him run a gauntlet of drills designed to harden even the toughest of rugby players up.

Doubled-over after the session, Hall mustered the strength to thank the Nottingham players for the hour of rugby torture that included everything from trying to manhandle resident hardman Tom Calladine to wrestling former Premiership lock Nic Rouse.

"I was revving the lads up before the sessions because I didn't want them to take it easy on me," said Hall.

"I needed to test myself because I'm facing a serious challenge in which people have been hurt in the past. Only a third of people complete the Tough Guy Challenge and I don't want to be one of those that fail, because I'm out there to raise money for the students of Fountaindale.

"I came out to man up, and the Nottingham Rugby boys have certainly made me do that."

Away from the frozen pitch, the Green and Whites have partnered up with Hall-Fast to deliver coaching sessions at Fountaindale School as part of its North Nottinghamshire Project.

Nottingham Rugby first team and community manager Steve Smith said the club is proud to add its muscle to the cause.

"Malcolm is passionate about everything he sets out to achieve and we are delighted we can help out like this," said Smith.

"We know making him suffer on the rugby pitch for an hour in this freezing weather is all for a good cause, and that makes us feel very warm inside."

Fountaindale is a Specialist SEN school situated in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, that offers an inclusive education for pupils aged 3 to 19, who have complex physical and sensory needs.

The school provides education, therapy, nursing and other specialist services to ensure that each and every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

You can donate to the cause by going to http://www.bmycharity.com/hallfast