Police chief completes 200km run for road crash charity

Andy Cox encouraged people to join him on his run

A policeman has completed a 200km (124m) run from London to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to raise money for a road safety charity.

Det Ch Supt Andy Cox, head of crime at Lincolnshire Police, was joined en route by local runners and relatives of the victims of road crashes.

He started on 15 May at the site of the first ever fatal road collision in the UK, near Crystal Palace.

Line of Duty star Vicky McClure spurred him on by sending a video message.

The actor, who plays Det Insp Kate Fleming in the BBC drama, said she was sending the real-life detective "much love and congratulations".

He has surpassed his target of £25,000 and now hopes to raise £50,000

Det Ch Supt Cox, who is the national lead for fatal collision investigations, ran through Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire before arriving at the arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, on Sunday afternoon.

He has passed his £25,000 fundraising target for the RoadPeace charity and has now increased it to £50,000.

Vicky McClure recorded a message praising the detective for taking on such a challenge

He will be joined later by officers from the Staffordshire force at the arboretum's RoadPeace Wood, which has been planted in memory of those who have been killed in road crashes.

Det Ch Supt Cox said he was keen to raise money for the charity, especially after the pandemic led to fundraising events being cancelled.

Local runners and relatives of victims of road crashes joined the policeman at various points on the run

"RoadPeace does an amazing job to support seriously injured people and bereaved families, helping them come to terms with their loss and supporting them through such a terrible experience," he said.

Nick Simmons, chief executive of the charity, said he was "immensely grateful" to the policeman for his efforts, and highlighted the need to reduce the number of deaths from road crashes.

"Road deaths have stayed at the same level since 2010, at around 1,800 people killed in Britain every year - which equates to five people killed every day.

"The devastation caused by these crashes is preventable, and we are grateful that DCS Andy Cox is using his voice to call out society's tolerance to road danger."