A GROUP of friends from Airedale Hospital flew over 3,500 miles to wave the flag for Great Britain in Michigan to support their friend and teammate Jill Atherton.

They completed the River Bank Run 25-kilometre race in Grand Rapids on May 13.

Jill, a physiotherapist at Airedale Hospital, was joined on her transatlantic trip by friends Victoria Wilson, Rebecca Malin, Gillian Elsworth and Tracey Healey, who all run in the Airedale Dodgers running club and work together at the hospital.

Jill previously lived in the U.S with her husband Mark, who was tragically killed in a car accident 20 years ago when she was almost nine months pregnant. This led to her returning to England with her three young children.

She had wanted to go back for the 40th anniversary race, so hatched a plan with best friend and former colleague Darci Luyk who works at Mary Free Bed Hospital in Grand Rapids, to return and compete.

Jill said: “I've always wanted to go back to run the River bank Race and the 40th anniversary seemed the perfect opportunity.

"As a group of friends we've always supported each other, running regularly for health, fitness and friendship with the Airedale Dodgers.

"I mentioned I was going to the US to run this race and they said ‘we're coming with you’ Anything for a girlie weekend away!

"We had a fabulous time, the company, the stories and the laughter made for a wonderful trip with great friends.”

Rebecca said: “We weren’t going to let her go alone and when she mentioned it, I paused for five seconds and said 'yes'.

"If you’ve got the opportunity to do it and the opportunity to travel then why not do it?”

Tracey added: “The course was really flat compared to where we normally run up and down the rolling hills of Yorkshire."

The group landed in Chicago two days before the race, and had time to take in the sights and sample some local deep dish pizza, as well as healthy seafood before the run.