A CHARITY boss has completed a 31-day 256-mile marathon to raise money and awareness of the issues faced by homeless young people.

Alan Dorrington is project manager of the Rawtenstall-based M3 Project, which arranges supported lodgings placements with householders and also runs a teenage family accommodation project.

Two friends accompanied him in the challenge, Dave Haygarth, from Helmshore, and Dean Pointer, who completed his runs in the Norwich area.

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From running one mile on December 1, they then went up to 16 on December 16 and back down to one on New Year’s Eve.

Dave, 46, also met up with Alan, 48, from Burnley, at Marl Pits in Rawtenstall so they could complete the last mile together, dressed in ‘Chariots of Fire’ style vests.

Accompanied by Alan’s 11-year-old daughter Ella, they were cheered on by family, friends and colleagues from M3 as they completed the final mile.

In the middle week the friends ran the equivalent of four marathons, but Alan admitted he hit the ‘wall’ when he reached December 19 while doing a lesser distance of 13 miles.

He said: “That was the day when the wheels fell off.

“I was doing a half-marathon that also involved a 1,320ft climb.

“It was predictable because I had reached the goal of 100 miles that week and I was also suffering with fatigue.”

On Christmas Day Alan completed a seven-mile run that took in the picturesque Singing Ringing Tree on Crown Point Road above Burnley and on Boxing Day Alan and Dave joined the Whinberry Naze Fell Race.

Dave dressed as an elf while Alan had a Christmas tree hat and Rudolph leggings.

He joined the Clayton Harriers Juniors for eight-miles on Christmas Eve and Haslingden High School’s students for their Class 2km Grass on December 5 and received a donation from Rossendale Harriers.

Throughout December, more than £4,000 has been raised for M3 Project with money still coming in.

Afterwards Alan said: “I am feeling fine now I have finished, but I think I will go on and do another run today or maybe get on my bike and go for a ride.

“I have run for 31 days without stopping and who knows I may carry on for another six months, but I am not going to become Forest Gump.”

Dave joined Alan on the run because he felt 2016 had been a ‘fairly comfortable’ year for him and he wanted a challenge.

He said: “It has been great, although I did get injured in the middle of the month, but it is amazing the capacity the body has for recovering.”