A doctor from Watford is swapping the pressures of A&E for one of the world's toughest endurance challenges and competing in a 40,000-mile round the world boat race.

Michael Berry, of Hagden Lane, is set to face storms, hurricane force winds, icebergs, cyclones, extreme temperatures and piracy when he sets sail in 16 days.

The 33-year-old anaesthetist had no prior sailing experience before signing up to take part in the year-long Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

He said: "I work as an anaesthetist and intensive care doctor in the NHS. The remoteness, the outdoors and being in an environment that I am very unfamiliar with are hugely different and partly why I chose to participate.

"Although the differences are obvious there are quite a lot of similarities as well.

"We often have to work in teams under difficult circumstances and there is a clear team leader, a bit like on a boat.

"Also being up at 3am in the morning after being woken after 15 minutes sleep is also not that unusual."

Michael will help man a 70 ft ocean racing yacht as part of a 12 person crew in the competition.

Michael has had to work his training around his busy work schedule and shift pattern, but said his appetite for adventure made the challenge worthwhile.

He said: "I love travelling and seeing many different parts of the world.

"I drove my pickup from South Africa to the UK and enjoyed the remoteness of the Sahara, for example.

"Also, I really enjoy learning new skills. The fact that I couldn’t sail and that I would learn it as part of my training and the race motivated me.

"Seeing how I fit in as part of a team in an extreme environment was another reason to join and take two months out from work."

He added: "I am looking forward to working as a team and seeing how that translates into competing.

"I truly love working in a team and bonding with people from all over the world with diverse backgrounds over a common goal."