Exercise challenge 'brought me back to my dad'

Charlotte Greatorex walked, ran and biked 226km (140 miles) during May, with only three days off for rest

A university student said taking part in a challenge to cover 200km (124 miles) in a month made her feel like her dad had returned to her, 12 years after he died from a brain tumour.

Charlotte Greatorex, 21, from Toddington, Bedfordshire, completed the challenge for Brain Tumour Research to honour Paul Greatorex, who died two months after his diagnosis when she was nine.

During May, she walked, ran and took part in spin classes, and she covered 226km (140 miles).

She felt like he was with her at times, as she regularly saw robins. "I always think that when you see a robin nearby, a loved one is nearby," she said.

Paul Greatorex, pictured with Charlotte and her brother, Tom, had a great sense of humour and would joke about his encounters with wildlife

Miss Greatorex, who has just finished her second year studying psychology and criminology at De Montfort University, Leicester, said she wanted to "throw" herself into the challenge that would raise funds for brain tumour research and "honour my dad".

It was a welcome release from her exams and she said it "was amazing for my mental health - there was a lot of reflection time".

"I just love being outside," she added.

"My dad loved wildlife, so being out with the wildlife brought me back to him.

"I always think that when you see a robin nearby, a loved one is nearby, and I had a few run-ins with some robins."

Charlotte went out whatever the weather, including during a heavy rainstorm on a 5km stomp across the Dunstable Downs

She raised hundreds of pounds for "important funding for research into brain tumours", she said.

"I'm very proud of myself, and I think my dad would be very proud as well, and I'm very proud of just being able to bring a memory back to his name and keeping him alive in that way.

"When we lose someone, you're always a little bit worried that they'll be forgotten, so to be able to do this, I've been able to keep his name alive."

"I was trying to get into running, and it was a great opportunity to force myself to keep running," Charlotte said