A CHARITY runner aiming to complete 40 marathons and cover the length of the country has been forced to pull out of the challenge because of injury.
Dom Dalton, 24, set off from John O' Groats on Monday, and had planned to run around 50 miles a day for the next three weeks, finishing in Land's End.
The incredible feat would have topped the achievements of another multi-marathon runner, comedian Eddie Izzard, who ran 43 marathons in 51 days for Sport Relief in 2009.
This morning (Wednesday), Mr Dalton updated followers of his '40 marathons in 21 days' Facebook page to say that he had hurt his ankle near Inverness, Scotland, after tripping up a verge, and uploaded a picture of his swollen foot.
Hours later, he posted: "Absolutely gutted but dream is over. Suspected ankle ligament damage - those who know me well know that I wouldn't quit unless I absolutely had to, but I made some promises about not permanently damaging my body.
"Huge thank you to everyone who has supported me or were planning to along the way."
Mr Dalton, who works at the Nestle factory in North Hyde Gardens, Hayes, has already raised nearly s4,000 for the Alzheimer's Society and Help for Heroes, and says he wants to complete the remaining distance on a race wheelchair around a track.
Visit Dom's fundraising webpage: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/1000miles
