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Huw Jones, a teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, has raised close to £10,000 for a motor neurone disease (MND) charity by running five marathons in five days.

Almost three years ago, Huw’s sister-in-law, Brigette, was diagnosed with MND. Having already run a marathon to raise money for the terminal disease, Huw decided to go a step further and run five in five days.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer about the challenge, he said: “On a trip back from north Wales where Brigette grew-up, I flippantly said to my wife that I could run back from there to Lower Machen.

“She of course said ‘don’t be stupid’, but I looked into it and found it was only the length of about five marathons so I gave it a go.”

Huw started his training in the last few weeks of school before the summer holidays, admitting that was tougher than the run itself.

He continued: “I probably ran 80 miles a week in preparation, and I have to say it made the actual run quite enjoyable – but still very tough.

“I started in Wrexham and it took five days to get back. It was an amazing experience I’ll be honest. I ran with some great people too which helped.

Huw said he expects the total raised to surpass £10,000 soon, with the school preparing a non-uniform day, while others have said they’ll donate.

The money itself will be donated to the My Name’5 Doddie, a MND charity set-up by the late Scottish rugby player, Doddie Weir.

Huw went on to thank everyone for the support he has had during the challenge, adding: “I need a rest now, but I enjoyed it so much that I’ll never say never to another challenge.”

Signs of MND

• weakness in your ankle or leg – you might trip, or find it harder to climb stairs
• slurred speech, which may develop into difficulty swallowing some foods
• a weak grip – you might drop things, or find it hard to open jars or do up buttons
• muscle cramps and twitches
• weight loss – your arms or leg muscles may have become thinner over time
• difficulty stopping yourself from crying or laughing in inappropriate situations