A COUCH potato has turned his life around to raise money for a good cause by running over 150 miles.

Like many people, Gregg Stevens was forced into working from home at the beginning of lockdown. After three months Mr Stevens, 43, had admittedly become a couch potato and with the extra responsibility of a fourth child being born in May, his wife suggested that maybe he could try going out for a run.

Mr Stevens signed up for the 'couch to 5k challenge.'

After completing this there was no stopping him, he decided that more good should come of this than just losing weight and getting fitter.

The challenge was to complete 40 separate runs in 78 days covering 150 miles.

Mr Stevens, from Howden-le-Wear, then started looking for more challenges and found many different runs, all virtual, further afield including the New York marathon on Sunday November 1, to build up the 150 miles.

Mr Stevens started this marathon in Rowley near Consett, using the disused railway tracks to Lanchester and Durham then heading for his home in Howden-Le -wear.

He raised £770 so far for The Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team which has suffered from lack of income due to the coronavirus restrictions.

To donate to Mr Steven's JustGiving page at: justgiving.com/fundraising/Gregg-Stevens