Two runners from the Okehampton area have exceeded their fundraising target as they crossed the England-Scotland border on their John O’Groats to Land’s End (JOGLE) marathon.

Charlie Nielson from Beaworthy and Ryan Davies from Okehampton started their JOGLE journey at the beginning of August, aiming to raise £10,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund in memory of Charlie’s dad who died from the disease in 2019. Last week, the pair crossed the border into England and smashed their £10,000 target.

Charlie (left) and Ryan at the border.
Charlie (left) and Ryan at the border. (Submitted)

Charlie’s mum, Jill, said: “It will give them the boost they need as it’s tough-going. The kindness and generosity of people has been overwhelming to date.”

At the time of writing, the total funds raised stood at £10,758, but with the length of England left to run and the rest of August to complete the journey, it is hoped the total will increase.

This will be the third charity run Charlie and Ryan have done, having already completed the South West Coast Path over three days and a run along the rest of the Devon border.

As there is no set JOGLE route, runners and cyclists must plan their own. The most direct running routes are typically around 850 miles, but Charlie and Ryan have chosen a more scenic route to avoid the busiest roads, bringing the planned distance to over 1,000 miles.

Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund is the national charity dedicated exclusively to supporting research to improve diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. To date, Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund has supported research projects with grants totalling some £20 million. The charity was established in 2004 at the time when survival rates for pancreatic cancer had seen little improvement for over four decades and research was limited research.

To donate to Charlie and Ryan’s fundraiser, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/charlie-nielson-jogle.