A UNIVERSITY student has devised a unique way to raise money and awareness for a North East mental health charity - by running a half marathon with emotional beanbags.

James McLeod - known as ‘Jiggsy’, who is studying at Durham University, is running the 13-mile half marathon for If U Care Share.

However, the run has a mental health twist, as Mr Mcleod will collect the 13 hand-made beanbags at every mile mark along the route, each reflecting an emotion which can impact on an individual’s mental health.

His close friend Vicky Whitley made the beanbags which show insecurity; emotions; lost; depressed; scared; paranoid; unstable; suicidal; irritable; doubtful; self-harming; hopelessness; insecure.

He said: “The 13 beanbags reflect the feelings you might go through when feeling depressed or dealing with mental health issues.

"The more of them I collect on the run, the heavier the bag becomes - rather like the mind when facing all these issues.

“I have suffered for years with mental health issues and it is only recently that I have been able to talk about it.

"For far too long I just lied about it to my family and friends and hid it through drink.

"Two years ago I was overweight, depressed and trying to deal with it in the wrong way and not talking to anyone - unless I was drunk."

Mr McLeod, who is in the second year of his sports science degree, says he has turned his life round after he was talked down from a bridge by a police officer last year and now.

He is hoping to become a sports psychologist after completing his degree and help professional athletes cope with mental health issues.

He added: “If I look back to four months ago when I was dragged off that bridge, I was severely depressed.

"And if you had asked me, I would have denied it."

The 20-year-old is a regular fundraiser in the Great North Run and will run the 13.1 miles on a circuit of Durham city, starting at New Ferens Park, home of Durham United Football Club.

He will also run through the Durham University campus before returning to New Ferens Park for the finishing line - and the final beanbag.

The run will take place on Sunday, February 7 and a donation page has been set up For If U Care Share at totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/jiggsy1.