A runner has covered 465 miles in a month after setting himself a challenge to raise awareness and cash for a mental health charity.

Richard Harris, a personal trainer from Sutton Valence, started by running one mile on June 1, two miles on June 2, and so on until finishing with a 30-mile run on the final day of the month.

By the final days of the charity effort for Mind, he was running marathon-length routes day after day.

The 24-year-old former Warrington Wolves and Scotland rugby league player had never regularly covered these kind of distances - but said he wanted to challenge himself during lockdown.

"I had not done any real distance before the lockdown," he said.

"It was a case of getting out there and getting it done. Thankfully it was injury free, just a couple of sore legs.

"I know that the lockdown has escalated issues with mental health, so it was a good chance to raise some awareness. Coming from a sporting background, you come across young lads and guys that tried to bottle things up, I have experienced it first-hand with friends."

Most of Richard's running took place near to his home, with the routes stretching further out across the county as his daily target increased through the month.

He said: "It was all sorts of weather, 30c one day then chucking it down with rain the next."

The final leg of the epic challenge saw him cover 30 miles from Sittingbourne via Medway - and he has now raised more than £2,600 for Mind via his JustGiving page.

His rugby league career - which began with Medway Dragons before he joined London Broncos - ended because of injury at the age of just 21.

Since then he has also played for the Invicta Mustangs ice hockey team.

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