Derbyshire woman's 'garden marathon' with sheep raises more than £1,400 for ambulance service

Cheryle Berry, 71, ran around her garden and adjoining paddock 210 times to complete the marathon, running the 26.2 ‘garden’ miles and taking a little over six hours.

Ms Berry was accompanied by her three pet sheep Georgie, Rosie and Violet as she raised a total of £1,417 for Derbyshire St John’s Ambulance.

The service is in need of support as it helps the NHS during the pandemic with volunteer staff and ambulances.

Cheryle, retired teacher, headteacher and director of e ducation in South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Middlesborough, said: “I’ve been staying at home to help the NHS.

“ I’ve been a member of St Johns for 50 years and I love running marathons.

“So, it seemed the thing to do, run a marathon at home and raise money for a charity which is helping the NHS.”

Cheryle is an experienced marathon runner, having completed 15 London Marathons and one New York M arathon.

Altogether, she has raised between £35,000 and £ 40,000 for charities.

Cheryle has a place in the Great North Run in the autumn to raise money for an orphanage in India, which she has supported and visited over many years.

If you wish to make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cheryle-berry-marathon.