TWO teachers from a Cotswold school have raised more than £2,000 after completing a gruelling challenge.

Rebecca Lund, head of PE, and Chris Larner, geography and economic teacher, from Kingham Hill School challenged themselves to run 12 marathons in just one year.

The pair decided to test their endurance with a marathon every month, to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and International Needs.

The pair covered more than 2,500 miles in training and races between them, taking part in marathons across the country including in Milton Keynes, Manchester, Edinburgh, North Downs, Nottingham and Stratford-upon-Avon.

They even went overseas to take part in marathons in Dublin and Athens.

The pair, through generous donations from supporters, helped them raise £2,513 which will go towards to supporting vital research into motor neurone disease and building water and bathroom facilities in Uganda and rebuilding housing in Nepal.

Mr Larner said: “In 2016 I wanted to challenge myself and this seemed to live up to it.

"I had never run a marathon before so I decided that if I was doing all the training, I might as well run 12.

"My family have previously worked with International Needs, a Christian mission and development charity and that inspired me to raise money for the brilliant work it carries out with impoverished countries across the globe.”

Miss Lund added: "I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this challenge, I thought choosing a marathon a month would test me both mentally and physically and it did not disappoint.

"There have been a good many hours of painful running over the year but the challenge has also been a really positive and inspiring one for me.

"It has been a very social challenge with such brilliant support and generous donations to our charities. This year has taught me that anything is achievable, it just depends on how willing you are to work for it."