Clothing boss calls 24-hour charity run 'torture'

Joe Pritchard ran a total distance of 104 miles (167km) on a treadmill

An activewear company founder who ran on a treadmill for 24 hours in a pub to raise £6,200 for charity said the challenge was "torture" but "incredible".

Joe Pritchard, from Worcester, ran non-stop to raise money for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, a charity set up by Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir, who died from motor neurone disease, aged 52.

At The New Inn in Shrawley, Mr Pritchard clocked up a total distance of 104 miles (167km) but faced mental blocks and nosebleeds and experienced "blacked out" vision after completing the challenge.

"My dad and my brother were carrying me, and I instantly felt really lightheaded, dizzy and a bit nauseous," the 23-year-old said.

He said: "On the way to the bathroom, I collapsed again, blacked out, and my vision went again, but I carried on and got into the bath for a nice hot bath."

Mr Pritchard and his brother Alfie, 26, co-founded a clothing company named Mile Pie, which gives 25% of its profits to charity, and every year they take turns taking on a new fundraising challenge.

He opted to run for 24 hours on a treadmill as "everybody hates going on a treadmill", he joked.

He initially considered running on the machine for one week.

"I was thinking of trying to run as far as I can in a week on the treadmill to try and break the record, but that is just absolutely ridiculous.

"We decided on 24 hours, and I soon realised how hard that was going to be."

The idea to take the treadmill to the pub was suggested on a whim by his friends, but he said it was a "really good idea".

"The thought behind it was all the drunk punters coming in the evening, getting a few beers down them, and chucking a load of cash for charity," he said.

"It's why we do it. It's why I put myself through torture for 24 hours, and it is such an incredible feeling to achieve that and raise such a big amount of money."

Mr Pritchard raised £1,700 in cash from pub donations, plus more than £4,500 from his JustGiving page.