A WEYMOUTH dad is taking on a mammoth challenge as he aims to complete one run a week for 52 weeks of at least marathon distance.

Andy Mutter, aged 50, from Cleveland Avenue, has already completed 11 marathons and has 41 to go - ranging from silly to serious challenges.

The IT worker is no stranger to ultra-runs but says he has never completed them in the name of charity before.

When he turned 50 on New Year's Eve, Mr Mutter thought it was about time to set himself a 2023 challenge whilst raising money for a good cause at the same time.

Funds raised will be going to the MS Society and he has already raised more than £1,500 towards his £2,000 target.

Explaining more about his '52 in 52' challenge, Mr Mutter said: "I have been doing ultra-running for a few years - I did a couple of hundred miles last year.

"I try to keep my running balanced between fun and serious, and when I turned 50 I started thinking why don't I do something for charity and set myself a challenge, and that is what I decided to do."

Some of Mr Mutter's previous challenges this year have seen him do 22 loops of the top ramparts of Maiden Castle in Dorchester, as well as running the county town's parkrun on repeat.

And on February 26, he ran an 'A-Z' marathon near Greenhill Gardens in Weymouth which saw Mr Mutter running a mile to represent each letter of the alphabet.

Quirky items included running with ten ties, a tutu and a trampoline for the letter 't', a step ladder for the letter 's' and hummus on his face for the letter 'h'.

After a few more serious runs in March, Mr Mutter's next humorous event will see him running 26.2 miles along Weymouth seafront on Saturday, April 8 dressed as Mr Blobby.

"My friend ran one mile in that costume and he said it was really hard - it is going to be tough and hot in there," he said.

"It is just all about trying to make people laugh and smile."

Mr Mutter, who works from home for a database software company, added he is hoping to soon have some street collections on the Esplanade for people to donate to him.

When asked how he does it, the Dorset man said: "It doesn't matter how quick you are - you just have to have something in your legs and then the other 80 per cent is mental. 

"Over the last few weeks my legs have been struggling but I will hopefully ride that out."

Mr Mutter's '52 in 52' challenge will see him compete most of his challenges in Dorset, with a few outside the county in Wiltshire and Devon.

To support him, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andy-mutter-52-in-52