After last month's hairdressing misery, daredevil reporter DAN KEEL was determined to get back on track in a challenge testing both his body and mind.

DON'T get me wrong. The World at War is one of the finest documentaries ever made, and one which everyone should watch at some point in their lives.

Narrator Laurence Olivier's booming voice and the incredible video footage straight from the battlefield make for compelling viewing.

But watching all 26 episodes in a row PLUS the entire series of Band of Brothers without sleep - yes that's 34 hours of TV - is a different kettle of fish.

The first episode of the marathon journey began at 5am with 'A New Germany', detailing the rise of Hitler in the mid 1930s.

The phoney war and the collapse of France swiftly followed, and after only three hours of war I was feeling positive about my chances.

But my mood changed when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour on the seven hour mark.

There appeared to be no end to the misery, and it suddenly hit home that for the next 29 hours I would be watching nothing but death and destruction.

My back and neck felt like they were beginning to disintegrate, and by noon I had already polished off a pizza, a tube of Pringles, four slices of toast and two mugs of coffee.

To make things worse, the allies were showing absolutely no sign of halting the Nazi advance.

As midnight approached, things were getting tough. I was beginning to feel painfully tired and the urge to lie down following a home-delivered curry was overwhelming.

News Shopper: Dan was trying to watch all 26 episodes of World at War followed by the entire Band of Brothers series

But a new dawn arrived in both eras - bringing me fresh hope. As the Germans were crushed in Stalingrad and the allies advanced through mainland Europe, the sun began to once again shine through my window.

Meanwhile the copious amounts of junk food were allowing me to let rip with a few deadly weapons of my own - much to the disgust of my housemates.

But by noon I was once again on the point of collapse. My bedroom had become a festering cesspit of vileness - littered with dirty crockery, empty packets, and the odour of my stale, sweaty unwashed body.

News Shopper: After 28 hours Dan began to hallucinate and felt sick

In the hope of fending off the tiredness I resorted to watching Band of Brothers standing up. But it was not to be.

The fatigue was making me feel nauseous, my eyes were blood red and I was beginning to hallucinate - certain my housemate was an invading German soldier.

On the 30 hour mark it was all too much and I nodded off in a heap on my sofa.

I gave it my best shot but I let my country down and finished curled-up and unconscious in a smelly pungent hell hole of failure.

To watch a video of Dan's no sleep challenge, visit newsshopper.co.uk/news/features/dandares