FITNESS enthusiasts are mounting a unique 24-hour relay to raise vital funds for Mid Cheshire Foodbank.

Keen runners Elaine Collins and Iain Borsbey have teamed up with 80 people to run, walk or crawl at home for 30 minutes throughout the weekend.

The pair were inspired to come up with the Miles For Meals Virtual Relay at a time when normal exercise routines have been curtailed during the lockdown.

Runners from Winsford and Northwich will be completing their circuits during the day on Saturday and Sunday whilst people on the other side of the world in India and Australia mount their marathons during the night.

Elaine Collins, 40, from Northwich, said:“I want to try and bring people closer together in a time of isolation using the technology to hand. "Local charities have always been close to my heart and I particularly wanted to work with foodbanks due to the unprecedented strain they are under at this moment.

"It has been inspiring to see the speed of the uptake."

Elaine's dad Dave Farrington and Karen Davies, recovering from cancer, who both live in Winsford, will be joining the event.

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Altogether 80 people have now filled up all slots.

Iain Borsbey said: "We're giving prizes for the most innovative ways of getting round. People can send us pictures of themselves passing on the baton."

Prizes have been generously provided by sports equipment specialist the Rosebank Centre on Witton Street in Northwich.

A spokesman for MidCheshire Foodbank said: “It has been great working with Elaine. The idea is really novel and has attracted a lot of interest."

Elaine added: "Mid Cheshire foodbank provides a vital role to the community where families can’t get hold of emergency food supplies.

"It is especially important in these times that funds are directed towards foodbanks as they come under additional pressure due to the increased demand, especially as the spread of Cov d-19 takes its toll on the economy. It is hoped that we can collectively we can raise as much as possible to help the foodbank.

To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/miles4meals