Runner and guide marry after seven years side by side

Kelly Barton first started running with guide Mike Leatherbarrow in 2016

A woman who thought her visual impairment made running " too difficult and inaccessible" has married the man who became her running guide.

Kelly Barton, from Southport, had never been running until she decided to try a parkrun event in 2016 and Mike Leatherbarrow stepped in as her guide.

After seven years of parkruns, half marathons and even the London Marathon, the pair married last week.

"We just fell in love over the miles," Ms Barton said.

The pair said their love blossomed "over the miles"

"The first time I ran with Mike I didn't know him and I'm putting my cane down and putting my trust in him," the 46-year-old said.

"It's lovely as you build up the trust because you can relax into the running and just start to really enjoy it."

Mr Leatherbarrow, 49, had been a volunteer at the London 2012 Paralympics when he was inspired to become a running guide for visually-impaired people and had been taking part in the weekend run at Southport's Hesketh Park for about seven months before Ms Barton joined.

The couple married in Southport last week

"If you're a guide assisting a visually-impaired runner you've got to have a relationship of trust between yourselves," he said.

"We had that, and as the miles progressed so did our love for one another."

"We chatted a lot because running long distances can be quite boring," Ms Barton said.

"After we ran so many miles together we got to know each other and we just fell in love over the miles."

The couple wed in a ceremony at Southport Town Hall last week.