THE last nine miles of an ultra marathon may have hurt, but it didn’t stop a Forest lad from crossing the finish line.

Determined Jack Reed said he is taking a well-deserved break for two weeks after incurring an inflamed tendon in his right ankle.

He said: “My ankle is so painful at the moment – I’m off my feet for a couple of weeks.”

The 20-year-old set off from his parents’ home in Ellwood alongside his friend, Lauren Jerred, on a 29.3 mile run to his university campus in Gloucester.

He said: “We did it! We ran to the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls campus via Parkend, Blakeney, A48, Over, Highnam and then Gloucester.

“We ran it in six hours and 29 minutes and both of us were feeling fairly good up to mile 20 when it really started to hurt.

“Both Lauren and I ran in aid of Sport Malawi, a charity that sends approximately 15 students to Malawi for a month in June to deliver physical education, coaching and outreach in one of the poorest countries.

“I am very lucky to have been selected to be one of these students and this marathon will be my first fundraiser towards raising the £1,500 that I need to go. So far I have raised around £420.”

Anybody who wishes to donate to their cause can do so by visiting www. justgiving.com/ Jack-Reed