A RECTOR, a teacher, a doctor, and an estate agent walk into a bar - and decide to run and walk the 65 miles of the Jorvik Way, round York, in less that 24 hours. Starting and finishing at the Cross Keys pub in Dunnington, they intended to raise funds for both St Leonard's Hospice, and Warthill Church of England School, where Simon Kumar (far left in photo) is a teacher.

"After completing the 65 miles, I think we will be glad to see the Cross Keys pub at the end," the Revd Nick Bird (in green), Rector of Dunnington, Warthill, Holtby and Stockton on Forest, said when they started at 3 a.m. "Hopefully, we shall be there well before last orders." The other runners were David Mazza (in red), a GP; and Chris Ray (far right), director of the estate agents Grays & Co.

"Sixty-five miles in under 24 hours is tough," Mr Bird said. "But we want to raise lots of money for St Leonard's Hospice and Warthill School. They are both amazing organisations that help people in the community. The school sets our children and young people up for the future, and St Leonard's Hospice does so much to care for people with life-threatening illnesses."

Three of them finished the course, Mr Bird says, although loyally he does not say which of them had to drop out. He did it in 19 hours and 20 minutes. "Three of us got heatstroke to some degree - it was really rather hot. More than £1500 was raised for St Leonard's Hospital, and an undetermined amount - probably about £500 - for Warthill School."

He says that it took him a couple of days to recover, "but then I ran up Snowdon last Sunday, and have had sore legs ever since".