THOUSANDS of people have flocked to see Iron Man 3 at the cinema — but Bolton already has its own superhero.

Dave Clamp, aged 54, is gearing up for a mammoth challenge that will see him swim, cycle and run more than 4,000 miles in just 30 days.

The former teacher is no stranger to extreme challenges after running 1,357 miles from London to Rome for Parkinson’s Disease two years ago.

But the Triple Deca Ironman Challenge in Lake Garda — a challenge that has never been done before — will see him push all the boundaries in September and become a record breaker on completion of the course. He is also hoping to win.

The event will involve 30 Ironman triathlon competitions in 30 days on the same course at a golf course — the equivalent of 72 miles of swimming, 3,360 miles on his bike and 786 miles running.

Mr Clamp said: “I think it will be the hardest thing I have ever done. It has never been done before so anyone who does it will be getting a world record.

“I have been preparing by ignoring it. I will be going for a sub nine hour ironman in Nottingham in July and doing the training for that will give me a good level of fitness for the Triple Deca Ironman.”

Only 30 athletes have entered but additional athletes will be starting 20 days into the event to complete a Deca Ironman —10 ironmans in 10 days.

Mr Clamp will also be pushing himself in the Nottingham Ironman as he is striving to become the over 50s ironman world record holder.

He said: “I will be trying to break the world record, which is eight hours and 53 minutes. I have done eight hours and 58 minutes previously. If I am going to do a sub nine hour pace it will be pretty much be sprinting and my heart rate will be very high at 155 beats per minute.”

Mr Clamp, father to son Sam, aged 26, and daughter Harriet, aged 24, from Bromley Cross, used to teach French and German at Tottington High School in Bury but left about five years ago to become a personal trainer and focus on his training.

Despite his successes he says he was not good at sport as a child and found the determination to succeed when he was an adult.

Mr Clamp added: “When I was younger I was the slowest runner in my class. I was never picked for any teams. But we are all capable of so much you just have to tap into your potential.”

He started to excel when he was in his late 30s but entered his first marathon when he was studying for his degree in Paris aged 20.

Mr Clamp juggles his time training and helping others achieve their fitness goals with giving inspirational and motivational talks.

He has completed more than 100 ironman events all across the world, worked as GB Ironman’s team manager and came runner up in the Deca Ironman challenge in Mexico in 2010 — which demanded 10 ironman challenges in 10 days — despite struggling with stomach pains and a swollen ankle.

Styles and Co in Warrington has funded an aero dynamic racing bike costing more than £2,000 for Mr Clamp so he can train and compete in the Triple Deca Ironman Challenge.

To keep up to date on his progress visit daveclamp.com.