Retiring police officer's day-long run challenge

Sgt Cording was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2023

A police sergeant who is about to retire is running nearly 80 miles (129km) in one day to raise funds for centres supporting the physical and mental well-being of fellow officers.

Sgt Paul Cording joined North Yorkshire Police in 2001 following 10 years in the RAF and is due to leave the force later this month.

The road policing sergeant set off from Harrogate Cenotaph at 13:00 BST on Wednesday, aiming to complete a three-mile (5.28km) run around the town centre.

He said he aimed to cover an overall distance of 78.8 miles (126.8km) on runs starting on the hour every hour until 13:00 BST on Thursday.

Sgt Cording said that number referred to his police collar number, which was 1268.

Colleagues and friends joined Sgt Cording for parts of the challenge in Harrogate

He said he was raising money for the Police Treatment Centre in Harrogate, which provided treatment and support for injured and ill police officers, retired officers and police staff from across England.

Sgt Cording said the cause was spurring him on to complete the triple marathon distance.

"I've recently been to the Police treatment Centre. Patching cops together to get them back out on the streets is what they do and they are very good at it," he said.

The running challenge is far from his first, after he ran a total of 210 miles, or 325km, over the course of a week last year in honour of the 325 people killed or seriously injured on North Yorkshire's roads in 2021.

The North Yorkshire Police sergeant aims to cover the distance of three marathons in 24 hours

Friends, colleagues and members of the public came out to cheer on Sgt Cording as he started the first part of the challenge in Harrogate, and several even joined him en route as he left the Cenotaph.

Marie Wilson, a physio at the Police Treatment Centre in Harrogate, joined him on the first two runs.

She said: "I'm here to support Paul because he is supporting us. We are a charity and we have to find all the money that we run the place with.

"We've got an awful lot of outgoings, but our income comes through donations from people like Paul doing fundraising events."

Sgt Cording is raising money for the Police Treatment Centre in Harrogate, where Marie Wilson (right) works as a physio

Having previously worked in Response and Neighbourhood Policing, Sgt Cording joined the road policing team in 2010.

He said he had since attended the scene of over 100 fatal traffic collisions.

Discussing his time in the police, he said: “I have seen the absolute best and very worst society has to offer.”

The final shift for Sgt Cording, who was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to policing and charity in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours, will be at Harrogate Police Station on Wednesday 19 June.