Wigan Warriors fan's 145-mile challenge for Rob Burrow and MNDA

Martyn Clarke, 46, is running more than 12 miles per day for 12 consecutive days.

He has already smashed his £150 target, collecting around £2,500 of donations for the MNDA within a day of starting his 145-mile challenge.

Clarke, a former St Judes player and Orrell St James junior coach, was already planning on doing the pre-Christmas run.

But when he heard about Kevin Sinfield's seven marathons in seven days, which raised £2.5m for his former Leeds team-mate Burrow and MNDA, he was inspired to turn it into a fund-raiser.

And he was surprised when Burrow himself sent him a message on Twitter to thank him for his effort.

"I didn't expect that, so it was really nice," said Clarke, a lifelong Wigan fan.

"I'd already signed up to do my first ultra-run and then I turned on TV the other day, I saw Kevin Sinfield on Breakfast TV and I thought, 'Why not?'

"It's for a great cause and so many people have already donated so much - I've been blown away by the support."

Clarke has done some lung-busting endurance challenges before, including an Ironman, but nothing of this scale since a back injury during the Manchester marathon two years ago.

He completed his first 12 miles on Thursday and will do a different route around the borough each day until December 22.

You can donate by visiting here