CROWDS gathered in Corbridge on Tuesday night to welcome TV presenter Ben Shephard as he completed a 37-mile run from Alston as part of a fund-raising challenge.

The familiar face on ITV’s Good Morning Britain enjoyed a well-deserved pint at the village’s Angel Inn during his mission to cycle, run and swim 210 miles from Whitehaven to Tynemouth to raise money for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF).

Ben joined Whitley Bay dad and lifelong friend, Ivan Hollingsworth, who has raised nearly £500,000 for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) through his Seb4CHUF organisation.

Ivan, whose seven-year-old son Sebastian needed life-saving heart surgery just weeks after birth, has completed a range of solo and group challenges from Whitehaven to Tynemouth since his first in 2010 – many with Ben by his side.

Their latest Coast to Coast schedule included an 81 mile cycle from Whitehaven to Glaramara on Sunday, a mile-long swim and 65 mile cycle from Derwentwater to Alston on Monday, and the 37 miles from Alston to Corbridge on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the team completed the route with a 26-mile marathon run from Prudhoe to Tynemouth Longsands Beach.

For more information, and to donate, visit www.seb4chuf.org.uk