A FATHER and son will celebrate their birthdays at home on September 5 and October 6 – and in between will conquer the Mississippi river.

Ian Tilling MBE, 59, and his 30-year-old son, Peter, will sail the length of the river on a home-made craft in just 30 days.

They are completing the epic 1,850-mile challenge to raise cash for homeless families in Eastern Europe.

The Folkestone pair will fly to Minneapolis, build a craft and sail it south down the famous river to New Orleans before returning home.

Money raised will go to the Casa Ioana Association, which plans to build a £200,000 accommodation centre in Bucharest for homeless families.

Speaking from Romania, Ian said: "Our set-off date is so close now and the excitement is beginning to build.

"Although I'm definitely looking forward to a journey that many dream of doing and yet so few succeed, I'm also anxious about the enormity of what we have chosen to undertake.

"We haven't left ourselves much time if something goes wrong. Although I've undertaken several endurance charity ventures, this is by far the hardest."

Preparations are now under way for building the raft on their arrival in America.

Charity director Ian said: "Peter designed the raft with help from people who have sailed the river, and a couple of guys in Minneapolis have agreed to store the materials until we arrive and help us build and launch it."

The pair will have to average almost 70 miles a day, navigating through several locks and battling against much bigger commercial river traffic.

Their initial aim is to raise £25,000.

Ian added: "We'll be on the go from the crack of dawn to sunset. If we drop too far behind, we'll have to travel during nightfall.

"The hardest part isn't the physical aspect but the mental challenge."

Ian is a founding member of the charity and received an MBE for his social community work in 2000.

In 1991 the former police officer organised the Campaign Convoy, one of the UK's largest peacetime convoys which saw almost 100 vehicles take aid to Romania.

Son Peter, a sound engineer, added: "I have always wanted to take on an epic American journey and I love travelling by boat so this seemed perfect."

The river originates at Lake Itasca, Minnesota and flows to the Gulf of Mexico.

For more information visit www.themississippi challenge.com