Ron Hill, 76, completes 50-year run feat in Heaton Park

Former Olympian Ron Hill has completed his ambitious goal of running at least a mile a day for 50 years.

Dr Hill, who started to log runs on 20 December 1964, finished Manchester's 5km Heaton Park parkrun earlier.

The 76 year old, who lives in Hyde but grew up in Accrington, Lancashire, has competed in three Olympic Games and has won gold at the Commonwealth Games.

The distance recorded in his log book adds up to 160,000 miles, or running around the world more than six times.

After a "disastrous" Olympics in Tokyo, he said he started running daily to "get the best out of myself".

He said: "Once you get into the habit of it, you just do it. Just get wrapped up and get out the door.

"It's [my] advice to everybody - just start running and within five minutes you're in your stride and probably enjoying it."

Dr Hill was the first British runner to win the Boston marathon. In later years he went into business, setting up a sportswear company.

He set several world records during his career, including a 2:09:28 time at the 1970 Commonwealth Games marathon in Edinburgh.

The organisers of the Heaton Park parkrun said they were "honoured that he has chosen to celebrate this milestone with us".