A Kingsbury personal trainer who recovered from a serious back injury seven years ago will attempt a football keepy-uppy world record this week.

Matt Wolstenholme, 30, of Kingsbury Road, hopes to set a record for the “longest distance juggling a football” by keeping a ball in the air for 20km around Harrow School’s athletics track on Thursday.

The challenge, which Matt predicts will take approximately five hours, marks the culmination of a long comeback from a back injury he suffered in 2005, which left him barely able to walk.

The mystery problem was never fully diagnosed, but Arsenal fan Matt was able to regain full mobility after an injection in his spine and a strict exercise regime, which inspired him to become a personal trainer.

He said: “When my back was bad a trip to the kitchen for a cup of tea was a big journey, so I would never have envisaged doing something like this.

“I understand from personal experience how important exercise is. It’s brilliant making a living doing something you are passionate about.”

His experience left him passionate about spinal cord injury charities, working as a sports coach at the Stanmore-based Aspire charity and raising hundreds of pounds for the group with sponsored keepy-uppy challenges last year.

During Thursday’s world record attempt, he will support campaigners protesting against benefit reforms by wearing a t-shirt with a Disabled People Against Cuts logo.

He added: “It’s hugely important that people get the help and support they need.”