Sprightly residents at Castle View Retirement Village in Windsor raised almost £1,000 for the NHS by doing a virtual marathon - without leaving home.

They had the choice of two route - the outside of the building from the reception and around the back which took an average of four minutes to complete (248 laps required), or around the 'sky deck' which took three minutes and required 383 laps.

A combination of the two routes totalling 26.2 miles took just six days to finish and involved residents and staff, as well as Benjy the village manager’s dog who was an enthusiastic participant.

“It was a lot of fun during lockdown,” said Lisa Fisher, village manager of Castle View. “It was a valiant effort enthusiastically embraced by everyone, including those who weren’t perhaps quite so strong on their feet but used their strollers to help them round.”

A total of £970 has so far been raised for NHS charities through a Just Giving Page - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/castle-view-retirement-village-ltd which is still open for anyone who would like to support the cause.

Residents are now planning an extended trip - from Land’s End to John O’Groats, virtually of course.