Canterbury runner Ian Stokes had to make do with the Wincheap Industrial Estate instead of The Mall during his weekend marathon challenge.

Due to Covid-19 many marathon runners have found that their events cancelled, including London, which is now set to be staged on Sunday, October 4.

Stokes, 60, was determined not to let his London Marathon training go to waste though, and with many people out exercising along the Stour Valley Way, at least he had plenty of people to chase, armed only with a bag of Jelly Beans.

There was no Cutty Sark or Big Ben to observe on the route but an assortment of geese at Chilham Lake, swans along the Stour Valley and the cuckoo at Chartham made up for it, ending with a run through the industrial estate.

He managed an impressive time, stopping the clock in a time of 3hrs 24:09mins, awarding himself a digestive biscuit at the end of the 26.2 mile run, rather than a medal. Just prior to the lockdown he competed in the Liverpool half marathon.

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