Southam woman's backyard marathon fundraising video idea was a family effort

Myrna Murphy (in pink on left) her sister Jackie O'Kelly with pink wig and dressed as a toilet roll, her brother-in-law Rory and niece Grace. The family are living in lockdown together.

Myrna Murphy and her family, aged from 22 months old to 85 and who are dotted around the country from Southam and Leamington to London filmed themselves running a mile each in their gardens to cover 26 miles.

Depending on the size of their gardens some of them had to run 30 laps and others as many as 400.

They have so far raised More than £2,000 for Refuge which helps women, children and men to escape domestic abuse.

Myrna had the idea when she saw a man on TV run a marathon distance by completing more than 800 laps of his back garden.

The family planned the challenge over a few days and then took part on April 17 just before the London Marathon was due to take place.

The participants wore costumes and carried batons, or in some cases rolling pins, to create the illusion of a relay for the final video which was edited and produced by Myrna's niece Rosie who is a film studies student.

Myrna said: "I was blown away by the effort everyone put in with costumes and props.

Myrna's brother Greg took on the challenge

"We did not know what each family was doing until the finished video was put together.

"We all had fun doing it, it was a good laugh but we mainly wanted to help raise some money for the charity.

"Our family is made of a mixture of teachers. nurses and students who are all feeling the lockdown pressures and wanted to support others."

To make a donation visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/murphy-marathonTo watch the video on Youtube visit https://youtu.be/yTg9cuD0LV8