IN a race of man versus machine, the former was the victor.

Hexham resident Lea Stephenson a fitness instructor at the town’s Wentworth leisure centre, raced the Metro from one stop to the next – and won!

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A 400m runner with Tynedale Harriers, Lea got off the train at Ilford Road station and sprinted the 715 metres, or 0.44 miles, to South Gosforth, where he got on the same train.

Videoing the attempt by wearing a headcam and joining his friend Pete Robinson who was filming on the train, the attempt has spread nationally with more than 60,000 views of the footage.

Lea said: “Some lads in London had raced the Tube years ago, but nobody had done it in the North-East.

“I do assessment and GP referrals in the gym and I always tell people to get off the bus stop before and walk the extra distance, as that can make a big difference to becoming active and losing weight. ”