Weymouth man completes marathon-long football dribble

Andy Mutter kept the ball at his feet for the 26.2-mile run

A man has completed a football dribble that lasted longer than anything achieved by the world's top players - and rather than the Camp Nou or Bernabéu, it began in Weymouth and ended in Dorchester.

Andy Mutter ran a 26.2-mile (42km) route between the towns, all while keeping a ball at his feet.

The run was Mr Mutter's 48th marathon in his bid to run 52 this year.

He hopes to complete four more before he turns 51 on 31 December.

The Weymouth resident is raising money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Mr Mutter admitted his football skills were "a bit rusty".

While his other runs did not call for a ball, he made several distinct, dressing up as King Arthur, Elvis, Spider-man and Mr Blobby.

Mr Mutter started his latest run on Weymouth Beach on Saturday morning

Mr Mutter finished the run on Saturday at Dorchester Town's Avenue Stadium, arriving at half-time during the home side's match against Basingstoke Town.

He said he manged to keep the ball at his feet the whole time, having set himself a rule whereby he was not allowed to touch it with his hands.

"It became tougher as the legs tired," he explained. "I hadn't played football for five years, so I was a bit rusty.

"As I fatigued, it became harder to keep [the ball] under control, but I got the job done."

Mr Mutter has run marathons dressed as King Arthur and Elvis

With just four more runs to go, his final challenge will be on Sunday 10 December.

He said: "I'm going to run the words 'the end' around the streets of Dorchester, and we'll end in Borough Gardens and have a band and a party."

He added his 46th marathon - the Abingdon Marathon - earned him a personal best time of three hours, 18 minutes and 30 seconds, despite harbouring a chest infection and having run another marathon and a 38-mile, hilly, ultra marathon in the fortnight before.

His "52 in 52" challenge has so far raised more than £5,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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