A COUNCIL worker will complete a charity run in memory of his dad in spite of the coronavirus pandemic.
Christopher Ball, from Orford, has laced up his running shoes to mark what would have been dad Derek's birthday every year since his death in 2014.
The 72-year-old had suffered from multiple sclerosis for 30 years, with Chris' challenges held in aid of the MS Society.
For his fifth annual fundraiser, he had planned a series of events which would have seen him cover hundreds of miles – but these have all been cancelled by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Instead, the granddad will run from Warrington to Llandudno and back on his own birthday next month before a jog from his home to Blackpool for his dad's in August.
The Warrington Borough Council wellbeing worker said: "After all my planned charity runs were cancelled because of coronavirus, we decided to try and look at how we could still do something special to raise money for the MS Society.
"On July 10 I should have been doing the 36-hour Cannonball run, but this got cancelled to comply with the social distancing rules.
"I have now decided to run, jog, walk and crawl the 141 miles from Warrington to Llandudno and back again.
"I'm hoping to finish this within 40 hours, making sure I get home on July 12 for my birthday.
"Then on my dad’s birthday, August 14, I will be running from Warrington to Blackpool.
"My wife has told me I’m only doing this because I can never find a parking place on the front."
Charities like the MS Society are in need of financial support more than ever at present as they feel the squeeze of lockdown measures.
Chris added: "Like most charities, the cancellation of events over the last few months will be a massive blow to how the MS Society can offer support to people around Warrington and in other parts of the country.
"I would like to ask the people of Warrington if they could again support me to raise as much money as possible for this amazing charity, or go into a charity shop or a care home and give a donation to support all the amazing work they do.
"The people of Warrington have always shown in the past how willing they are to support a good cause, so let me do the hard work for them.
"All I ask in return is that, if they are able to make a donation to my JustGiving page or donate to any charity shop, then please do so."
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