Man carrying stones to Stonehenge in 300-mile run

Alex Bance aims to complete the challenge at Stonehenge on Tuesday

A runner is recreating the journey of the stones used to build Stonehenge on a 300-mile charity challenge to raise money for a children's hospice.

Alex Bance, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, began his run on Friday from the Preseli Hills in west Wales, where Stonehenge's bluestones originated, and will aim to finish at the ancient Wiltshire monument on Tuesday.

He said he will collect stones from key locations along the way and take 20-minute naps throughout the run. Mr Bance has raised more than £1,800 for Julia's House Children's Hospice, based in Wiltshire and Dorset.

"Part of the challenge is getting it done as quick as I can. I want to make it as hard as I can, that's the whole point," he said.

Mr Bance, 45, said his route will take him from west Wales to West Woods, near Marlborough in Wiltshire, where the sarsen stones are from.

He plans to carry stones with him to Stonehenge in the challenge to raise funds and awareness for Julia's House.

Last year, Julia's House chief executive Martin Edwards told the BBC that it relies heavily on public funding and receives just 8% of income from the government.

"They need money to keep doing what they're doing," Mr Bance said.

"But another big part of it is raising awareness of them, because there are people out there who are struggling who don't know this service exists.

"And getting that message out to people so they know there's a place when they need it that's there to help them."

Mr Bance broke the world record for running while blindfolded and wearing noise cancelling headphones in 2023

In 2023 Mr Bance broke the world record for running for 24 hours while blindfolded and wearing noise cancelling headphones, to raise money for the hospice.

And last year he ran 251 miles from Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London, to the hospice's Devizes office.

Julia's House, based in Devizes and Corfe Mullen, offers practical and emotional support to families caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition at home, in the community or at its hospices.