A MELKSHAM Park Run organiser says the town gave a warm welcome to a visiting runner who was taking part in a 40/40 Challenge.

Roland 'Riggie' Rignall, a park runner from Redditch in the West Midlands, hit Melksham about two-thirds of the way through running 40 5k park runs in 40 counties.

After arriving at the King George V Playing Field on Sunday morning, he ran the 5k course with around a dozen local park runners.

Melksham Park Run event director Colin Goodhind said: "He was scheduled to arrive at 8.40am but was running behind schedule and turned up about an hour and a quarter late.

“Some of our runners who were due to run with him had to go off to take part in the Corsham 10k.

“After he arrived, he set off at a fairly fast pace and managed to complete the course in just over 29 minutes. He had expected to complete it in 40 minutes.

“I think we gave Roland a warm welcome and the whole event did Melksham justice. We were delighted that he chose our park run to represent Wiltshire.”

The 37-year-old father of one began his 40/40 Challenge at Normanby Hall in Lincolnshire on Friday, April 20 and completed the 40th park run at Arrow Valley in Redditch late on April 22.

The total distance he ran was the equivalent of four and a half marathons. Mr Rignall was raising funds for the Midlands-based dog rescue charity Ruff Luck.

His remarkable quest took him from Lincolnshire to Yorkshire, Merseyside, Kent, London, across the south coast to Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Bristol, Hereford and back to Worcestershire.

The usual Melksham park run takes place each Saturday at 9am, starting from King George V Playing Field. Entry is free and more details can be found at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/melksham/