A LLANFYLLIN resident is currently attempting to run from Land’s End to John o' Groats.

Jon Doolan, a teacher from Powys, is currently undertaking the journey of more than 800 miles as part of a ‘Miles of Smiles’ challenge he set for himself.

He started his journey on July 15 and estimates it will take him four to six weeks.

Having always dreamed of making the trek from one end of Britain to the other, Mr Doolan decided to make his journey unique by turning it into a ‘joke relay’, passing on jokes and puns to people he meets as he runs the length of the county.

He said: “I wanted to do something memorable. I didn’t want to just run the distance. That would be a bit dull. So I thought, what could I do to keep myself occupied as I run along? What could I do that would get people to actually come and talk to me?

“For a long time, I thought I would do it in fancy dress. A fairy outfit was a strong contender for a while, but then I realised that the tutu would probably chafe and the wings would be seriously annoying after a few hundred miles.

“And then my best friend, Harry, suggested I do a joke relay.

“It’s a perfect idea. Jokes don’t weigh anything, and I could pass a metaphorical ‘joke baton’ up the entire length of the country, watching the smiling faces of the jokes’ recipients as I went.”

As well as working as a primary school teacher in the area, Mr Dooley also volunteers as a leader for Welshpool Beavers and Cubs.

He will be chronicling as journey with daily vlogs and updates, and will be passing through Powys on route.