Woman runs 260 miles to parents' home in 10 days

Ms Hill completed the challenge alongside her son Taylor, who cycled the route

A woman has completed a 260-mile challenge to run from Somercotes in Derbyshire to her parents' house in Plymouth to raise money for charity.

Sarah-Jane Hill said her family called her "bonkers" for taking on the feat, which involved running about 10 marathons in 10 days.

Ms Hill said she was raising money for Dementia UK after her dad was diagnosed with the disease.

She is also fundraising for other causes including the British Heart Foundation, Samaritans and the resuscitation unit at Queen's Medical Centre.

Ms Hill said she was raising money for Dementia UK after her dad was diagnosed with dementia

Speaking to BBC Radio Derby, Ms Hill, said: "My dad has been diagnosed with dementia. He's not the man that he was. He just doesn't even sound like my dad any more.

"Ethan, my son, very nearly died in February from a near fatal asthma attack and my little brother Robert, who I love dearly, has just been diagnosed with heart failure and the Samaritans is because my niece lost her battle to mental health."

Finishing the challenge, the 50-year-old said she was feeling sore after running 34 miles on the last day.

"I have never seen hills like it up into Dartmoor and it was freezing cold.

"We did not prepare for the cold on top of Dartmoor, but we did it. Don't ask me how," she said

Ms Hill said she wanted to push herself "to the absolute limits" as she reached the age of 50.

"A lot of it was about my mental challenge, to prove to people that your brain is stronger than you think and every day can be a new day," she said.

Her son Taylor Hill, 29, cycled the route alongside her.

She said: "He was truly amazing. I would still be running around Derby if he hadn't come with me."

Ms Hill said the idea to run to Plymouth initially started as a "joke".

She said when she did her first marathon - a virtual London Marathon in 2021 - her mum commented on a Facebook post, 'Would you like to run here for a cup of tea?'

"It became a bit of a joke and I said, 'you never know, but nobody else would do it with me.'

"I would often go for a run, then jump in the car and drive to my mum and dad's and think 'I'll have a shower when I get there.'

"My mum and dad would say 'you've run here again' and it became a joke.

"Then, last year, I thought I'm going to be 50 in February, so I'm going to do it," she added.