A MAN known as “Father Fitness” resisted the temptation of a New Year lie in to complete day eight of a unique 12 Days of Christmas charity challenge.

While many were sleeping off hangovers, Paul Stainthorpe was running the 9.5 miles from his home in Newton Hall, Durham City, to Lanchester Diaries, in Lanchester.

The father-of-two is more than half way through a challenge to run to locations relevant to the gifts given on each day in the traditional song “The 12 Days of Christmas” to raise money for the Percy Hedley Foundation, which works with disabled children.

His destinations have already included Pear Tree Lodge, Witton Gilbert, for “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”, Ramsdens Jewellers, in Chester-le-Street, for “Five Gold Rings”, the Swan and Three Cygnets pub, in Durham, for “Seven Swans-a-swimming”.

Today (January 1), it was Lanchester Dairies for “Eight Maids-a-milking”. Tomorrow (January 2), Mr Stainthorpe plans to run 3.9 miles to Studio 12, in Langley Moor, for “Nine Ladies Dancing”.

His final run, for “Twelve Drummers Drumming”, will be the 6.6 miles home from Drum Industrial Estate, near Chester-le-Street, on Saturday.

He has already smashed his fundraising target of £250, raising £630 at the latest count.

He said: “It’s going OK. I think my legs are starting to seize up a bit but I’ve just got to battle through it. It’s nothing compared to what some people go through every day.

“I’ve got to do it. I’ll walk or crawl if I have to.”

If he completes the 12-day challenge, he will have run 60 miles – marking the Percy Hedley Foundation’s 60th anniversary in 2013.

He got his nickname because he started taking exercise seriously after becoming a father and loves Christmas time.

To sponsor Mr Stainthorpe, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/fatherfitness Read his blog at fatherfitness.co.uk