HE IS the brave Hampshire dad whose battle to rebuild his life has already made him an inspirational figure.

But Alex Lewis is about to embark on another challenge after beating a near-lethal infection that ravaged his face and also resulted in all his limbs being amputated.

Alex and a group of fellow amputees are preparing to kayak along a 170-mile stretch of coast off southern Greenland.

The gruelling expedition has been organised by Hampshire-based Pilgrim Bandits, founded by Special Forces veterans with the aim of helping injured soldiers live life to the full.

Earlier this year the charity invited Alex to become a civilian ambassador for Pilgrim Bandits because of his "remarkable can-do attitude".

His life was turned upside down in 2013 after a common cold developed into something more serious and tests revealed he had contracted Group A streptococcus.

The normally harmless bacteria is usually filtered out by the body but in his case it turned into blood poisoning and toxic shock syndrome.

As reported in the Daily Echo, his organs started to shut down and he spent a week in a coma as the deadly bacteria wreaked havoc throughout his body.

Doctors were forced to amputate his left arm and both legs above the knee. He also underwent a pioneering but ultimately unsuccessful 16-hour operation save his right arm.

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But the former publican from Stockbridge has waged an incredible battle against adversity.

Earlier this year he was the subject of a Channel 4 documentary, The Extraordinary Case of Alex Lewis, after he underwent several operations to rebuild his face and learned to walk with the aid of prosthetics.

In one heartbreaking scene his son Sam, now five, refuses to kiss him after he undergoes surgery to reconstruct his lips.

Now 36-year-old Alex is preparing to brave challenges of another kind.

He and fellow members of the Pilgrim Bandits expedition will spend 10 days exploring the rocky coast of southern Greenland, negotiating glaciers, icebergs and other hazards.

"It's a great chance to push myself," he said.

"I would never have taken part in something like this prior to losing my limbs but when you’ve faced what I have anything seems possible.

"One of the biggest challenges will be manoeuvring myself across uneven or frozen terrain."

The disabled sailors will be paired with able-bodied people in double kayaks, with fee-paying kayakers joining the trip to offset some of the costs as well as helping the charity achieve its goal of funding a purpose-built kayak training centre.

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They will paddle for about five hours each day, eating food that includes a type of fish that must be caught as they kayak.

Andre Edwards, the charity's general manager, said: "This is a hard trip - hazardous, gruelling and fraught with dangers.

"We've employed highly-regarded guides but this trip will certainly challenge everyone taking part. We will be completely isolated and away from all civilisation.

"On the upside we expect to see all manner of wildlife, including seals, eagles and foxes, and the Northern Lights.”

The expedition is the latest in a series staged by Pilgrim Bandits, which is based in New Milton.

In 2012 they retraced the steps taken by commandos who flew to Nazi-occupied Norway during the Second World War and sabotaged Germany's attempt to make an atomic bomb.

The following year they saluted the courage of servicemen who became known as The Cockleshell Heroes.

Described as one of the most daring raids of the war a group of canoeists paddled 60 miles up the River Gironde in France and sank several enemy ships.

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FACT FILE Despite the relatively mild conditions the sailors are expected to face air temperatures of -12C (10F) and water temperatures of -30C (-22F).

After flying into Keflavik International Airport they will transfer to Narsaq which, despite having just 1,500 residents, is one of southern Greenland's biggest cities.

The expedition will also include a trip to Nulussuag, site of a Viking settlement.

The halfway stage of the expedition will be marked by a visit to Qaleraliq Fjord, said to boast the best glacial scenery in the region.

Those taking part in the trip are being advised to do special exercises to strengthen their arms and build endurance.

As well as carrying kayaks from the beach to the water the sailors will have to paddle for between three and five hours a day.

They will be accompanied by a guide whose job will be to keep them on course, ensure their safety and overcome any problems.

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