OAKWORTH Juniors Football Club raised a staggering £6,000-plus for Manorlands with a month-long initiative – which had an original target of £500.

Forty-five players, aged between six and 14, took part in the Manorlands Marathon May challenge.

Each aimed to run the equivalent of a marathon – 26.2 miles – during the month, as they took exercise from their homes.

Run updates, photos and screen shots were posted on the club’s Facebook page.

And a Just Giving fundraising webpage was set-up, at justgiving.com/fundraising/nigel-smith61.

Nigel Smith, the club’s under-14s coach, said the response to the challenge had been “unbelievable”.

And he praised all those who took part, a number of whom exceeded the marathon distance.

“It was an absolutely amazing achievement by everyone which has created a really positive vibe around the club going into the new pre-season,” said Mr Smith.

“Players, parents and coaches should be really proud of themselves raising the amount they have for such a worthy cause.”

At a short presentation ceremony – where everybody observed social distancing guidelines – each participant received a medal from the club and a certificate from Manorlands, which paid tribute to the players for their achievements in support of the Oxenhope Sue Ryder hospice.

Mr Smith said everyone had done “amazingly well”, but he mentioned four youngsters in particular – Oliver and James Hussey, aged 12 and seven respectively, and Tom Preston, ten, who had each run the equivalent of two marathons; and Lewis Verdeyan, the under-14s goalkeeper, who completed a marathon in the first week and clocked-up over 60 miles throughout the month.