A teenager has completed an epic ultra marathon, running to all 60 stations on the Tyne and Wear Metro system in a single day.
Charles McManus, 18, from North Shields, took on the 77-mile challenge in memory of his father.
The epic run charted the same route as the Metro map, taking in the fastest routes from station to station via public roads and footpaths.
Charles was running in memory of his dad, David, who died in 2017. All of the money raised is going to St Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle and the Brain Tumour Charity. So far, he has raised over £5,000.
The Metro marathon began at 3am at South Hylton Metro station in Sunderland. It took Charles 17 and a half hours, covering Metro’s green and yellow lines before concluding at Monument Metro station just after 8.30pm on Sunday, 15 September.
Charles said: “I just wanted to do something to help others who are in a similar position to my family, when dad was unwell.
"I was quite focussed but at the end it got quite emotional - all my family were there, including my gran.
“My legs are absolutely horrendous, I'm really struggling to walk.
"I stopped at every single station and took a picture at every station, I think South Shields or Whitley Bay were my favourites.”
Lynne Dickinson, Head of Station Delivery at Nexus, said: “This was a superhuman effort by Charles and we are in awe of his determination to run the full length of the Metro system in a single day.
“He has ended up running the equivalent of three marathons back to back. It’s inspirational and incredible what he has achieved.
“The run took place on the quickest routes adjacent to our lines, so none of it was actually on the actual Metro tracks themselves. With the route he took, in some areas he’s had to run back the way he came, so he’s done more than the Metro route length.
“Our team were delighted to welcome him when he arrived at the finish at Monument Metro station on Sunday night.”