A RUN Geordie Run ball has raised £8,000 for charity.

Ultra runner Mark Allison, who has already run across the USA and Australia, hopes to run around the globe by 2024, starting with the 3,400 miles from Lisbon to Istanbul in 100 days next summer.

He organised a sell-out Run Geordie Run Around the World ball at the Biscuit Factory, Newcastle on Saturday (October 10), which raised £8,223 for The Children’s Foundation and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Mr Allison, from Bedlington, Northumberland, said: “I’m really pleased by how much the night raised for the two charities. So many people contributed to the event and it’s a relief to know it worked well.

“It was an emotional occasion for me because there were so many of my supporters together in one room. Walking around and just talking to guests felt amazing. Everywhere I turned I could see sponsors, support team members and well-wishers.

“It’s a feeling that will stay with me and I have no doubt I’ll draw on it when I find things tough during the next leg of the run.

“There are some brutal climbs in both the Pyrenees and the Alps, which I’ll need mental as well as physical strength to complete.”

For more information, visit rungeordierun.com