'Hardest Geezer' kidnapped by men wielding machetes while running length of Africa

YouTuber The Hardest Geezer, who is attempting to run the entire length of Africa, has shared details of his terrifying experience after being kidnapped.

The Hardest Geezer, real name Russ Cook, is attempting to become the first person ever to complete the feat as part of “Project Africa”, with money being raised for charity.

Cook had already been dealt a serious blow after being robbed at gunpoint earlier in his journey.

However, the newest development saw him share details of recent days, which he described as “the toughest of my life.”

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Posting on social media, Cook said he had recently become separated from his team after coming across impassable roads along the route.

“In an attempt to find the boys at a village on the plan B route, I stumbled into a rural settlement where the chief told me I must give him money. I had none,” he wrote, describing the ordeal.

“So that went down well. Pretty soon I found myself surrounded by lots of game blokes with machetes. Was escorted out the village into the bush.

“Emptied my bag to show I had nothing but a half eaten biscuit. Gave it to them, and ran. Spent the next few hours bushwhacking through overgrown jungle paths. Trying to stay off any tracks until I was far away.

“Made it to the village on the plan B route to find the road was also impassable for the support van again. Exhausted and dehydrated, I started heading back to the last known place with passable roads when two blokes pulled up on a bike.

“They spoke no English but tried to communicate I must come with them to get back to my friends.

Why I was forced to LEAVE Angola - I'm Running the Entire Length of Africawww.youtube.com

“What happened next was a seven-hour motorbike ride deeper into the jungle. In my head I thought this was it. Me. The self proclaimed hardest geezer. About to get held in a Congo gulag before being ripped apart limb by limb and eaten.”

He went on to say he had been driven to a village and taken into a hut. There, his captors decided what to do with him and decided how much money they owed him. Cook was able to contact his team, though, and over the next few days his team were able to reach him.

Cook added: “We made it out. And travelled back to the start point of day 102, where I ran 60km today on our new route.

“My head ain’t fully there right now. But we move the same way as always, forward.”

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