A marathon running bobby has beaten his own challenge of a lifetime by doing 20 marathons in 18 weeks to raise money for two causes close to his heart.

PC Lee Featherstone, from Bedale, has run anywhere from three to five miles for the past 125 days.

Often he’s been pounding the pavements at 6am, including Christmas Day, New years Day and several family birthdays to raise £1,500.

He originally challenged himself to run 18 marathons in 18 weeks but increased it to 20, doing over 530 miles in total.

“It was because I was having so much fun, the pain, the mental fatigue, I really am not a natural runner so it was a real challenge, but I was determined to finish it,” said PC Featherstone.

On his last run he was joined by the Aiskew, Leeming Steve Walsh supporters who with children ran, walked, skipped, hopped and scootered the final five mile trek with him.

He i raising money for the Run to Remember fund set up by the family of PC Nicola Hughes, 23, who was murdered alongside PC Fiona Bone by killer Dale Creegan in Greater Manchester in September, 2012.

He is also been running to raise funds for the Halcyon Trust, to help electrician Steve Walsh , from Leeming, and his family after he was paralysed following a stroke and now suffers from Locked In syndrome which means he has extremely limited movement.

He said: “I have run past Steve’s front door for all but two days and this has inspired me to finish and raise money for the trust.

"I t has been gruelling I must admit and there have been injuries, running after a couple of hours sleep and facing a day at work hasn’t been easy but people have constantly encouraged me and I really want to thank them for all the support they have given me."

PC Featherstone has even donated increased pay for the past three months after being promoted to acting sergeant to the funds.