Sinfield brings MND running challenge to Belfast

Belfast welcomed Kevin Sinfield on Tuesday as part of the rugby star's latest fundraising challenge for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

The incurable condition affects the brain and nerves and is more common among people in their 60s and 70s.

The 44-year-old kicked off his more than 230 mile run in Liverpool last week and will finish in Saddleworth in Greater Manchester on Saturday 7 December.

Sinfield began his Belfast leg of the challenge at Ulster Rugby's Kingspan Stadium at about 07:00 GMT, visiting Stormont, Titanic Quarter and before finishing at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.

He has raised over £10 million during four previous fundraisers following his Leeds Rhino teammate Rob Burrow's MND diagnosis in 2019.

Burrow died earlier this year.

One of the stops on Sinfield's route was St Paul's GAA in west Belfast - the former club of MND campaigner and Antrim captain Anto Finnegan.

Mr Finnegan died in September 2021 after a nine-year battle with MND at the age of 48.

Among those welcoming the rugby coach were Mr Finnegan's children Conall and Ava.

Conall said the rugby star's choice to stop at the club meant "so much" to him and his family.

"When we found out that they wanted St Paul's to be a stop in memory of my daddy we were very touched," he told BBC News NI.

"Kevin's always had my daddy in his memory doing these and it's meant a lot."