A FOREST of Dean Headteacher has raised over £2000 after completing the Cotswold Way 100km Ultra Challenge last weekend.

On Saturday, June 13, Joe Child, Headteacher of Newnham St. Peter's Church of England Primary School, completed the gruelling challenge in 24.5 hours to raise money to redecorate the school.

He set off at 8.32am, and crossed the line at 9.02am the following day. At the time of writing, he has raised £2153 but hopes to raise £2300 to pay for the entire painting project.

A spokesperson for Newnham St. Peter's Church of England Primary School said: “Mr Child embodied our school values; perseverance, hope and thankfulness throughout this challenge.

“He kept going when the route became tough, remained focused on his goal and is incredibly grateful for the support and generosity of our school community.

“We are all so proud of you Mr Child! Thank you for being such an inspiration to us all.”

Joe said the toughest part of the challenge came between 66km and 80km when he struggled with knee pain and needed to visit the medical centre - but this did not stop him from continuing.

With Taylor Swift music inspiring him, he fought on through the tribulations and remained focused on the end goal.

The Cotswold Way 100km Challenge is an endurance event, part of the Ultra Challenge series, where participants can walk, jog, or run a continuous 100 km (62-mile) loop through the Cotswolds.

It began at the Cirencester basecamp before a full 100km looped route guided participants through the heart of the Cotswolds.

Whilst Joe has already raised a fantastic sum of money for the school, it continues to grow - and he is very close to the desired £2,300 target, which could transform the school’s look.