One man has taken advice to stay close to home when exercising quite literally, as he ran a marathon in his own backgarden.

James Page, from Sidcup in Bexley, had been training for an ultra-marathon in the Sahara desert, followed by the London Marathon, but both were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Determined not to let 11 months of training and his fundraising efforts for Children with Cancer UK go to waste the dad-of-two devised his own course spread across 50 metres of his own backyard.

He even laid on a refuelling station complete with electrolyte drinks and sugary sweets to keep him refuelled.

The 36-year-old ran 873 laps as he clocked up more than 26 miles under the gaze of his wife and kids, finishing the feat in under five hours.

He said: "I thought I would set myself a challenge and hopefully try and raise some funds.

"I ran a practice lap and worked out the distance and just went for it."

The pipe fitter said he had to keep changing directions to ensure he didn't damage his knees.

A toilet loo finish line was even made by his son which was the butt of some jokes on social media and his wife was not too pleased about the state of the grass when he was finished.

But added: "I actually really enjoyed it – it was a lovely day and the wife and kids were out to see me. I thought it would be a lot harder."

In the last few months James has been gearing up his heat training for the Marathon des Sables, a six-day event through the desert which is widely regarded as the hardest foot race in the world.

He had been training in the sauna, heat chambers and even throwing in some hot yoga sessions.

James only started the sport in 2016, confessing he "could not run for five minutes back then but built it up gradually".

Now an ultra runner he has completed numerous events raising money for Children with Cancer UK in the process.

He selected the charity after both of his parents were diagnosed – his dad on the same day his mum got the all clear.

Both appear now to have beaten the disease, but the ordeal is something he says he would not want anyone else to go through.

His next challenge will now be a virtual run organised by the charity which takes place on April 26 – the day the London Marathon was supposed to happen.

It asks people to use their daily exercise to run wherever they can in the UK between 9.30am and 10.30am to raise money for childhood cancer research.

To donate to Jame's fundraising efforts click here.

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