Veteran finishes Everest marathon in citrus outfit

Ms Orange said she was having the time of her life

An army veteran has successfully completed the world's highest marathon dressed as a lemon.

Sally Orange, 50, from Salisbury, said it was her 84th marathon and she wanted to take the mental health message to the top of the world.

Ms Orange described the Everest Marathon, which starts at the mountain's base camp at 5,401metres (17,721 feet) high, as "epic, brutal, and stunning".

"I want to break the stigma associated with poor mental health and just normalise the conversation," she said.

In 2023, Ms Orange ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, all while dressed as various fruits.

She claims to be the only person in the world who has ran a marathon on every continent dressed as a different piece of fruit.

The costumes make people smile and encouraged them to ask why she was running, she said.

"I chose to be a lemon for this marathon to be 'ice in a slice,'" she added.

Ms Orange was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her charitable efforts

She supported the Samaritans and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme in the marathon.

For more than 25 years, she has been tackling depression and chronic anxiety.

"It's all very personal, the whole mental health campaigning," she said.

She believes physical activity can help mental wellbeing regardless of age, gender, or background.

"Just being outside can be of benefit to us all," she said.

She has won a gold Duke of Edinburgh award and a BBC Make a Difference award.

Ms Orange said running or any physical activity helped her mental health in different ways

Ms Orange recently ran her 13th London Marathon to continue raising funds for these charities.

"I am quite a normal person and I don't come first in marathons," she said.

"For me it is not about being the fastest or the fittest.

"When people ask me what time am I going for, what time did I get in the marathon?

"I always just say the time of my life, because that way I am in control of whether I have a good time or not.

"I suffer with depression and anxiety, if I set the boundary of say I need to get four hours or four and a half hours and I don't make that, then that makes me feel a failure.

"I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others realise that suicide is not the answer. There is hope and support available,” she said.

Later in the year, Ms Orange aims to swim in the Hudson River with the Navy Seals in New York, to swim from Asia to Europe, and participate in the Chicago Marathon.

If you have been affected by this article, support is avaible on the BBC Action Line website.