A 60-YEAR-OLD woman from Malton has celebrated her birthday year by running three “ultra-marathons” - the longest of which was 64 miles.

Philly Hare, who is a director of the national social enterprise Innovations in Dementia, said she had been running for about seven years.

She devised the challenge to push herself in 2017 and also to raise money for the charity Water Aid.

The three runs were all off-road and were 30, 54, and 64 miles in length.

She completed two earlier in the year, before taking part in the final event last month, running from Guisborough to Saltburn and then all along the Cleveland Way to Filey.

Ms Hare said she had hoped to complete the challenge in under 18 hours, but in the end took over 21 hours - including nine hours by the light of a head torch.

She was supported by a team of friends from Pickering Running Club, and by her husband Tim.

Philly said: “I am really delighted to have completed this challenge - it hurt a lot of course, but that has started to fade now, and I’m so proud that I kept going.

“Water Aid is a brilliant charity as it provides clean toilets and water for the millions who don’t have access to these.”

To make a donation, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/philly-hare