A Sevenoaks fundraiser had to be rescued from the Sahara Desert after he and his team were struck down by norovirus in a sand storm.

Mike Purtill, of Amherst Place in Riverhead, was five days and 50km into the Alzheimer’s Society trek when disaster hit.

“We were told sleeping outside was a real experience,” said Mr Purtill who was one of 30 to be struck down. “But it was more like a scene from a horror movie. All you could hear was people vomiting and, well, other things. At night in the Sahara, noise travels far.”

With the situation getting out of hand 4x4s were sent to pick up the bedraggled group.

With their symptoms in full effect and the sandstorm raging, the group were taken across the bumpy desert to receive medical attention.